>4*;i/^ 


STATE  NORMALSCHOOL, 


SI ' 


^ 


,^  » 


THl:  APOCALVPSl- 

Explained  acgo[|ding  to  the  Spifjitual  Sense 

AV   WHICH   THE  ARCANA 

THEREIN  PREDICTED  BUT  HERETOFORE   CONCEALED 

ARE  REVEALED 


A    I'OSTHUMOIS  WORK  OF 


EMANUEL     S  \\'  E  L)  E  N  B  O  R  G 


VOL.  II 


NEW      YORK 

AMERICAN  SWEDENBORG  PRINTING  AND  PUBLISHING 

SOCIKTV 

20     COOP  K  R     r  X  I  O  N 


MDCCCXCII 


*** 


In  this  edition,  the  heavy-faced  figures  ([2.],  [3.],  ^^0 
inserted  in  the  text  indicate  the  divisions  that  are  employed 
in   Potts'  Swedenborg  Concordance. 


*** 


81  \  c^ 


TRANSLATOR'S      NOTE. 

In  the  translation  of  this  and  the  following  volumes  the  general  principles 
agreed  upon  by  the  committee  on  translations  have  been  followed,  as  in  the 
first  volume;  with  that  exception  the  translation  has  been  wholly  the  work  of 
the  translator 

J.  C.  Acer. 


A 


APOCALYPSE.  499 


CHAPTER    V. 

ND  I  saw  in  the  rig-ht  hand  of  Him  that  sat 
upon  the  throne  a  book  written  within  and 
on  the  back,  sealed  up  with  seven  seals. 

2.  And  1  saw  a  strong  angel  proclaiming  with  a 
great  voice,  Who  is  worthy  to  open  the  book,  and  to 
loose  the  seals  thereof? 

3.  And  no  one  was  able,  in  heaven  nor  upon  the 
earth  nor  under  the  earth,  to  open  the  book,  neither 
to  look  thereon. 

4.  And  I  was  weeping  much,  that  no  one  was  found 
worthy  to  open  and  read  the  book,  neither  to  look 
thereon. 

5.  And  one  of  the  elders  saith  unto  me.  Weep  not , 
behold,  the  Lion  that  is  from  the  tribe  of  Judah,  the 
Root  of  David,  hath  overcome  to  open  the  book,  and 
to  loose  the  seven  seals  thereof. 

6.  And  I  saw,  and  behold,  in  the  midst  of  the 
throne  and  of  the  four  animals,  and  in  the  midst  of 
the  elders,  a  Lamb  standing  as  if  slain,  having  seven 
horns  and  seven  eyes,  which  are  the  seven  spirits  of 
God  sent  forth  into  all  the  earth. 

7.  And  He  came  and  took  the  book  out  of  the 
right  hand  of  Him  that  sat  upon  the  throne. 

8.  And  when  He  had  taken  the  book,  the  four  an- 
imals and  the  four-and-twenty  elders  fell  down  before 
the  Lamb,  having  every  one  harps,  and  golden  bowls 
full  of  incense,  which  are  the  prayers  of  the  saints. 

9.  And  they  were  singing  a  new  song,  saying. 
Worthy  art  Thou  to  take  the  book,  and  to  open  the 
seals  thereof;  for  Thou  wast  slain,  and  didst  redeem 
us  to  God  in  Thy  blood,  out  of  every  tribe  and 
tongue,  and  people  and  nation ; 


50O  APOCAi.YPSE  e:xplained. 

10.  And  Thou  didst  make  us  unto  our  God  kings 
and  priests :  and  we  shall  reign  upon  the  earth. 

1 1.  And  I  saw,  and  I  heard  a  voice  of  many  angels 
round  about  the  throne  and  the  animals  and  the  eld- 
ers ;  and  the  number  of  them  was  myriads  of  myriads, 
and  thousands  of  thousands ; 

12.  Saying  with  a  great  voice,  Worthy  is  the  Lamb 
that  hath  been  slain  to  receive  the  power,  and  riches, 
and  wisdom,  and  honor,  and  glory,  and  blessing. 

13.  And  every  created  thing  that  is  in  heaven,  and 
on  the  earth,  and  under  the  earth,  and  those  that  are 
in  the  sea,  and  all  that  are  in  them,  heard  I  saying, 
Unto  Him  that  sitteth  upon  the  throne  and  unto  the 
Lamb  be  the  blessing  and  the  honor  and  the  glory 
and  the  strenp"th,  unto  the  ao^es  of  the  ag-es. 

14.  And  the  four  animals  said.  Amen;  and  the 
four-and-twenty  elders  fell  down  and  worshipped  Him 
that  liveth  unto  the  ages  of  the  ages. 

EXPOSITION. 


29  V*  "And  I  saw  in  Vie  right  hand  of  Him  that  sat  upon  the  throne  a  book  written 
within  and  on  the  back,  sealed  up  with  seven  seals." 

I.  "And  I  saw  in  the  right  hand  of  Him  that  sat  upon  the  throne  "  signifies 
t/ie  Lord  in  respedJ  to  omnipotence  and  oimiiscience  [n.  297,  298]  ;  "d 
book  written  within  and  on  the  bac/(  "  signifies  iAe  state  of  life  of  ah 
in  heaven  and  on  the  earth,  in  general  and  in  particular  [n.  299]  ; 
"sealed  up  with  seven  seals"  signifies  altogether  hidden  [n.  300]. 

297*  {Verse  i.]  "And  I  saw  in  the  righi  hand  of  Him  that 
sat  upon  the  throne  "  signifies  the  Lord  in  respect  to  omnipotence 
and  om7iiscience. — This  is  evident  from  the  signification  of  "right 
hand,"  as  meaning,  in  reference  to  the  Lord,  omnipotence  and  also 
omniscience  (of  which  presently)  ;  also  from  the  signification  of 
*'  Him  that  sat  upon  the  throne,"  as  meaning  the  Lord  in  respedl  to 
Divine  good  in  heaven  ;  for  in  general  "  throne"  signifies  heaven, 
in  particular  the  spiritual  heaven,  and  abstractly  Divine  truth  going 
forth,  from  which  heaven  is,  and  by  which  judgment  is  effedled 
(see  above,  n.  253).  By  "  Him  that  sat  upon  the  throne,"  and 
also  by  "the  Lamb,"  that  took  the  book  from  Him  that  sat  upon 


CHAP,   v.,   VERSE    I. — N.   297.  501 

the  throne,  the  Lord  is  meant,  because  by  "  Him  that  sat  upon 
tlie  throne"  the  Lord  in  respecl  to  Divine  good  is  meant,  and  by 
"  the  Lamb  "  the  Lord  in  respect  to  Divine  truth.  There  are  two 
things  that  go  forth  from  the  Lord  as  the  sun  of  heaven,  namely, 
Divine  good  and  Divine  truth.  Divine  good  from  the  Lord  is  called 
"the  Father  in  the  heavens,"  and  is  here  meant  by  "  Him  that  sat 
upon  the  throne;"  and  Divine  truth  from  the  Lord  is  called  "the 
Son  of  man,"  but  here  "the  Lamb."  And  because  Divine  good 
judges  no  one,  but  Divine  truth  judges,  it  is  here  .said  that  "the 
Lamb  took  the  book  from  Him  that  sat  upon  the  throne."  That 
Di\'ine  good  judges  no  one,  but  Divine  truth  judges,  is  meant  by 
the  Lord's  words  in  yohn  : 

"The  Father  doth  not  judge  any  one,  but  He  hath  given  all  judgment 
unto  the  Son  ;.  .  .  .because  He  is  Son  of  man"  (v   22,  27). 

*'  Father"  means  the  Lord  in  re.spect  to  Divine  good  ;  "Son  of 
man,"  the  Lord  in  respect  to  Divine  truth.  Divine  good  "doth 
not  judge  any  one,"  because  it  explores  no  one;  but  Divine  truth 
judges,  for  it  explores  every  one.  Let  it  be  remembered,  further, 
that  neither  does  the  Lord  Himself  judge  any  one  b}-  the  Divine 
truth  that  goes  forth  from  Him,  for  this  is  so  united  to  Divine 
good  that  they  arc  one;  but  the  spirit-man  judges  himself;  for  it 
is  the  Divine  truth  received  by  himself  that  judges  him  ;  but  be- 
cause the  appearance  is  that  the  Lord  judges,  it  is  said  in  the 
Word  that  all  are  judged  by  the  Lord.  This  the  Lord  also  teaches 
in  yohn  : 

Jesus  said,  "If  any  man  hear  My  words  and  yet  believe  not,  I  judge  him 
not ;  for  I  have  not  come  to  judge  the  world  but  to  save  the  world. 
He  that  rejecfleth  Me  and  receiveth  not  My  words  hath  one  that 
judgeth  him  ;  the  Word  fhat  I  have  spoken,  the  same  shall  judge  him 
in  the  last  day  "  (xii.  47,  48). 

[2.]  In  respe(!:t  to  judgment,  the  case  is  this  : — The  Lord  is  pres- 
ent with  all,  and  from  Divine  Love  He  wills  to  save  all,  and 
He  turns  and  draws  all  towards  Himself  Those  who  are  in  good 
and  in  truths  therefrom  yield,  for  they  join  themselves  to  Him  ; 
but  those  who  are  in  evil  and  in  falsities  therefrom  do  not  yield, 
but  turn  backwards  from  the  Lord,  and  to  turn  backwards  from 
the  Lord  is  to  turn  from  heaven  to  hell  ;  for  every  spirit-man  is 
either  his  own  good  with  the  truth  tlierefrom,  or  his  own  e\il 
with  the  falsity  therefrom.  He  who  is  a  good  with  the  truth 
therefrom  jiermits  himself  to  be  drawn  by  the  Lord  :  but  he  who  is 
an  evil  with  the  falsity  therefrom  does  not  permit  himself  to  be 
drawn ;  he  resists  with  all  his  strength  and  energy,  for  his  will  is  in 


50J  APOfALvrsi:  r.\ri,.\iN;.i). 

accord  with  his  love  ;  this  love  is  his  l)ieath  And  liic ;  ilicicforc  lii.i 
desire  is  towards  those  wlio  are  in  a  like  love  of  evil.  From  tins  it 
can  be  seen  that  the  Lord  docs  not  jiidi^v  anv  one,  hut  that  Di- 
vine truth  received  judi^cs  to  heaven  those  who  have  received 
Divine  truth  in  the  heart,  that  is,  in  lo\  e  and  to  hell  those  who 
have  not  received  I)i\ine  truth  in  the  heart,  hut  have  denied  it. 
This  makes  clear  what  is  meant  by  the  Lord's  .saying  that  "all 
judgment  is  given  to  the  Son, . .  because  He  is  the  Son  of  man,"  and 
elsewhere,  that  "  He  came  not  to  judge  the  world  but  to  save  the 
world,"  and  that "  the  Word  which  Hehassj)oken  is  to  judge  man." 
[3.]  These,  however,  are  truths  that  do  not  fall  into  man's  sell-in- 
telligence, for  they  are  among  the  mysteries  of  the  wisdom  of  angels. 

(But  the  matter  is  somewhat  elucidated  in  Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  545-551,  under 
the  heading.   The  Lord  casts  no  one  into  Hell,  but  the  Spirit  casts  himself  thither.) 

That  it  is  the  Lord  who  is  meant  by  "Him  that  .sat  upon  the 
throne,"  and  not  another  whom  some  distinguish  from  the  Lord 
and  call  "God  the  Father,"  can  be  seen  by  any  one  from  this, 
that  the  Divine  that  the  Lord  called  "  Father"  was  no  other  than 
His  own  Divine;  for  this  took  on  the  Human,  consequently  it 
was  the  Father  of  the  Human  ;  moreover,  that  this  Divine  is  in- 
finite, eternal,  uncreate,  omnipotent,  God,  Lord,  in  no  way  dif- 
fering from  the  Divine  itself  that  some  distinguish  from  Him  and 
call  the  Father,  can  be  seen  from  the  received  faith  called  the 
Athanasian,  where  it  is  declared 

That  no  one  of  them  is  greatest  or  least,  and  no  one  of  them  first 
or  last,  but  they  are  altogether  equal ;  and  that  as  is  one,  so  is  the 
other,  infinite,  eternal,  uncreate,  omnipotent,  God,  Lord;  and  yet 
there  are  not  three  infinites,  but  one;  not  three  eternals,  but  one  ; 
not  three  uncreates,  but  one;  not  three  omnipotents,  but  one  ;  not 
three  Gods  and  Lords,  but  one. 

These  things  have  been  said  that  it  may  be  known  that  by  "  Him 
that  sat  upon  the  throne"  and  "the  Lamb,"  also  in  what  follows 
by  "God"  and  "the  Lamb,"  two  distinct  from  each  other  are  not 
meant ;  but  that  by  the  one  Divine  good  is  meant,  and  by  the 
other  Divine  truth  in  heaven,  both  going  forth  from  the  Lord.  That 
the  Lord  is  meant  by  "  Him  that  sat  upon  the  throne  "  is  clear  also 
from  all  the  particulars  of  chapter  iv.  preceding,  where  a  throne  and 
One  sitting  thereon  are  treated  of  (which  may  be  seen  explained, 
n.  258-295)  ;  and  still  further  in  Matthew  : 

"Wheiithe  Son  of  man  shall  come  in  His  glory,  and  all  the  holy  angels 
with  Him,  then  shall  He  sit  upon  the  throne  of  His  glory"  (xxv. 
31 ;  xix.  28,  2q). 


CHAP.  v..  vi;rsi:  i. — x.  2ijSla\.  503 

Also  in  Esekiel: 

"Above  tlie  firmament  that  was  over  the  liead  of  the  cherubim  was  the 
ap;)caraice  of  a  sapphire  stone,  the  likeness  of  a  throne  ;  and  up- 
on the  likeness  of  the  throne  a  likeness  as  the  appearance  of  a  man 
sitting  upon  it"  (,!.  2t> ;  x.  i). 

And  in  haiali  : 

"  I  saw  the  Lord  sitting  upon  a  throne,  high  and  lifted  up,  and  His  train 
filling  the  temple  "  (vi.  x). 

[4.]  Since  liv  "tlirone"  heaven  is  signified,  and  by  "Him  that 
sat  upon  the  throne"  the  Lord  in  respect  to  His  Divine  in  heaven, 
it  is  said  above,  in  chapter  iii., 

"He  that  overcometh,  I  will  give  to  him  to  sit  with  Me  on  My  throne" 
[(verse  21)], 

signifying  that  he  shall  be  in  heaven  where  the  Lord  is  (see  above, 
n.  253[iJ])  ;  therefore  in  what  follows  in  this  chapter  it  is  said, 

"  I  saw,  and  behold  in  the  midst  of  the  throne  a  Lamb  standing  "  (verse  6) ; 

and  in  chapter  xxii., 

"  He  showed  me  a  river  of  water  of  life, ....  proceeding  out  of  the  throne 
of  God  and  of  the  Lamb  "  (verse  i). 

*'The  throne  of  God  and  of  the  Lamb"  means  heaven  and  the 
Lord  there  in  resj)ecl:  to  Divine  good  and  Divine  truth  ;  "God" 
meaning  the  Lord  in  respe6l  to  Divine  good;  and  "the  Lamb," 
the  Lord  in  respecl  to  Divine  truth.  A  distin6lion  is  here  made 
between  the  two,  because  there  are  those  that  receive  one  more 
than  the  other.  Those  that  receive  Divine  truth  in  good  are 
saved ;  but  those  that  receive  Divine  truth  (which  is  the  Word) 
not  in  good  are  not  saved,  since  all  Divine  truth  is  in  good  and 
not  elsewhere  ;  consequently  those  that  do  not  receive  it  in  good 
reject  it  and  deny  it,  if  not  openly  yet  tacitly,  and  if  not  with  the 
mouth  yet  with  the  heart ;  for  the  heart  of  such  is  evil,  and  evil 
reje6ls.  To  receive  Divine  truth  in  good  is  to  receive  it  in 
good  of  charity ;  for  those  who  are  in  that  good  receive, 

*98[<*].  "Right  hand,"  in  reference  to  the  Lord,  signifies 
both  omnipotence  and  omniscience,  for  the  reason  that  in  heaven 
the  south  is  on  the  right  and  the  north  on  the  left ;  and  the  "south  " 
signifies  Divine  truth  in  light,  and  the  "north"  Divine  truth 
in  shade ;  and  as  Divine  good  has  all  its  power  through  Divine 
truth,  "right  hand  "  in  reference  to  the  Lord  signifies  omnipotence  , 
and  as  Divine  good  has  all  its  intelligence  and  wisdom  through 
Divine  truth,  and  to  the  right  in  heaven  Divine  truth  is  in  light  (as 


504  APOCALYPSE  EXPLALVED. 

was  said),  so  "right  hand"  in  reference  to  the  Lord  also  signifies 

omniscience.  (That  in  lieaven  the  south  is  on  the  tight,  and  there  Divine  truth 
is  in  light,  and  those  who  are  there  are  in  intelligence  and  wisdom  ;  and  that  the 
north  is  on  the  left,  and  Divine  truth  there  is  in  shade,  see  Heaven  and  Hell,  where 
The  Four  Quarters  in  Heaven  are  treated  of,  n.  141-153  ;  that  all  power  is  from 
Divine  good  through  Divine  truth,  see  the  same  work,  where  The  Power  of  the  An- 
gels of  Heaven  is  treated  of,  n.  228-233  ;  that  all  intelligence  and  wisdom  is  also 
from  Divine  good  through  Divijie  truth,  see  the  same  work,  where  The  Wisdom  of  the 
Angels  of  Heaven  is  treated  of,  n.  265-275 ;  and  The  Wise  and  Simple  in  Heaven, 
n-  346-356-) 

[ft.j  [2.]  That  "right  hand"  in  reference  to  the  Lord  sig- 
nifies both  omnipotence  and  omniscience,  and  in  reference  to  men 
power  and  wisdom,  can  be  seen  from  the  following  passages.  In 
David  : 

"The  north  and  the  right  hand  Thou  hast  created  ;  Tabor  and  Hermon 
shall  rejoice  in  Thy  name.  Thou  hast  an  arm  with  might ;  strong 
is  Thy  hand ;  Thy  right  hand  shall  be  exalted.  Righteousness  and 
judgment  are  the  support  of  Thy  throne ;  mercy  and  truth  shall 
stand  together  before  Thy  faces  "  (Psalm  Ixxxix.  12-14). 

Here  the  "right  hand"  plainly  means  the  south,  for  it  is  said,  "  the 
north  and  the  right  hand  Thou  hast  created;"  and  the  "south" 
signifies  Divine  truth  in  light ;  thus  in  the  highest  sense,  which 
treats  of  the  Lord,  it  signifies  omnipotence  and  omniscience,  which 
Divine  good  has  through  Divine  truth  (as  was  said  above).  Be- 
cause both  omnipotence  and  omniscience  are  signified,  it  is  said, 
"Tabor  and  Hermon,"  "righteousness  and  judgment,"  "mercy 
and  truth."  By  "Tabor  and  Hermon"  those  in  Divine  good  and 
those  in  Divine  truth  are  signified;  by  "righteousness  and  judg- 
ment," and  likewise  by  "mercy  and  truth,"  Divine  good  and 
Divine  truth  are  signified;  the  two  together  signify  in  the  spir- 
itual sense  Divine  good  through  Divine  truth.  Omnipotence 
and  omniscience,  which  Divine  good  has  through  Divine  truth, 
are  signified  by  "Thou  hast  an  arm  with  might,"  and  by  "strong 
is  Thy  hand;  Thy  right  hand  shall  be  exalted."  [3.]  In  the 
same, 

"If  I  shall  forget  thee,  O  Jerusalem,  let  My  right  hand  forget"  {Psalm 
cxxxvii.  5). 

"Jerusalem"  signifies  the  church  in  respe6lto  the  dodlrine  of  Di- 
vine truth ;  and  the  "right  hand  of  Jehovah,"  Divine  truth  in  light, 
since  (as  was  said  abo\'e)  those  are  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Lord 
in  heaven  who  are  in  light  and  in  wisdom  by  Divine  truth ;  this 
evidently  is  why  it  is  said,  "  If  I  shall  forget  thee,  O  Jerusalem,  let 
My  right  hand  forget."     [4.1    In  the  same. 


CHAP,  v.,  VERSE   I, — N.   298[^].  505 

"  Beheld,  I  am  brutish.  I  know  not But  I  am  continually  with 

Thee  ;  Thou  hast  held  my  right  hand.     Thou  leadest  me  in  Thy 
counsel,  and  afterwards  receivest  me  with  glory "  (Psalm  Ixxiii. 

22-24). 

Since  "right  hand,"  in  reference  to  man,  signifies  wisdom  from  Di- 
vine truth,  it  is  sajd,  "  I  am  brutish,  I  know  not Thou  lead- 

est  me  in  Thy  counsel,  and  afterwards  receivest  me  with  glory," 
"to  lead  in  counsel"  meaning  to  lead  by  Divine  truth,  and  "to  re- 
ceive with  glorv"  meaning  to  bless  with  intelligence;  "glory"  in 
reference  to  the  Lord  signifying  Divine  truth  and  Divine  wisdom, 
but  in  reference  to  man  intelligence  therefrom.     [5.]    In  the  same, 

"Jehovah  is  thy  keeper;  Jehovah  is  thy  shade  upon  thy  right  hand.  The 
sun  shall  not  smite  thee  by  day,  nor  the  moon  by  night "  {Psalm 
cxxi.  5,  6). 

"To  be  a  shade  on  the  right  hand"  signifies  to  be  a  defence 
against  evil  and  falsity.  "  Shade  "  stands  here  for  a  shady  place  to 
preserve  from  hurt,  and  "right  hand"  for  power  and  wisdom  from 
Divine  truth,  which  would  be  hurt  by  evil  and  falsity  unless  the 
Lord  defended.  Because  this  is  what  is  signified  it  is  said,  "the 
sun  shall  not  smite  thee  by  day,  nor  the  moon  by  night,"  the 
"sun"  here  signifying  love  of  self  and  all  evil  therefrom,  and  the 

"moon"  falsity  of  evil.  (That  this  is  the  signification  of  "  sun  "  and  "  moon  " 
see  Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  122,  123;   and  A.C.,  n.  2441,  7078,  8487,  9755,  10130, 

10189. 10420, 10702.)     [6.]    In  the  same, 

"Let  Thy  hand,  O  Jehovah,  be  over  the  man  of  Thy  right  hand,  over 
the  son  of  man  whom  Thou  hast  made  strong  for  Thyself  "  {Psalm 
Ixxx.  17). 

"Let  Thy  hand,  O  Jehovah,"  means  guard  by  omnipotence  and 
omniscience ;  "  the  man  of  the  right  hand,"  who  is  guarded,  sig- 
nifies one  who  is  wise ;  and  "the  son  of  man,"  one  who  is  intelli- 
gent, each  through  Divine  truth.     [7.]  In  the  same, 

*'  Gird  the  sword  upon  the  thigh,  O  mighty  One,  with  Thy  splendor  and 
in  Thy  grace  ;  in  Thy  grace  mount,  ride  on  the  Word  of  truth, 
of  gentleness,  and  of  righteousness  ;  Thy  right  hand  shall  teach 
Thee  wonderful  things.  . . .  Kings'  daughters  are  among  Thy  pre- 
cious ones ;  on  Thy  right  hand  shall  stand  the  queen  in  the  best 
gold  of  Ophir"  {Psalm  xlv.  3,  4,  9). 

These  things  are  said  of  the  Lord.  "To  gird  the  sword  upon  the 
thigh  "  signifies  Divine  truth  combating  from  Divine  good ;  there- 
fore it  is  said,  "  O  mighty  One,  with  Thy  splendor  and  in  Thy 
grace,"  "splendor"  signifying  Divine  truth,  and  "grace"  Divine 
good  (see  above,  n.  I3i[a],  288[i5]).  It  is  also  said,  "in  thy  grace 
mount,  ride  on  the  Word  of  truth,"  "in  grace  to  mount"  signi- 


3o6  AJ'OCAI.VPSK    EXPI.AINKD. 

fying  to  combat  from  Divine  good,  and  "to  ride  iqxxi  the  Word 
of  truth  "  signiiying  to  combat  from  Divine  truth,  thus  from  Divine 
good  through  Divine  truth.  The  Lord's  omnipotence  and  omni-. 
science  are  signified  by  "Thy  right  hand  shall  teach  Thee  won- 
derful things;"  "kings'  daughters,"  who  are  among  the  [jrecious 
ones,  signify  affections  for  truth  ;  and  "  the  (jueen  who  is  on  the 
right  hand  in  the  best  gold  of  Ophir"  signifies  heaven  and  tlie 
church  and  those  therein  who  are  in  truths  from  good  ;  tlie  "right 
hand"  meaning  truth  in  light,  and  " gold  of  Ophir "  good  of  Iom-. 
f8.]    In  the  same, 

"The  saying  of  Jehovah  to  my  Lord,  Sit  thou  at  My  rie[ht  hand  until 

I  shall  make  thine  enemies  a  stool  for  thy  feet The  Lord  at 

thy  right  hand  hath  stricken  through  kings  in  the  day  of  His  an- 
ger" {Psalm  ex.  I,  5;  i\Iatt.  xxii.  44;  Mark  xii.  36;  Lukf  xx.  42, 
43). 

It  is  known  that  these  things  were  said  of  the  Lord  ;  they  are  a  de- 
scription of  the  Lord's  combat  in  the  world  against  the  hells,  and 
their  subjugation,  which  was  effe^led  from  Divine  good  through 
Divine  truth  ;  "  right  hand  "  here  signifies  Divine  truth  ;  it  is  there- 
fore said  "until  I  shall  make  thine  enemies  a  stool  for  thy  feet ;"' 
'•  enemies"  signifying  the  hells  ;  "making  them  a  stool  for  the  feet  ' 
signifying  to  subjugate  entirely.  "The  Lord  at  thy  right  hand 
hath  stricken  through  kings  in  the  day  of  His  anger"  has  a  like 
signification;  "day  of  anger"  meaning  a  state  of  combat,  and 
"kings"  those  who  are  in  falsities  from  evil.  That  the  Lord, 
when  He  was  in  the  world,  put  on  Divine  truth  from  Divine 
good,  and  that  He  thereby  subjugated  the  hells  and  disposed  all 
things  in  the  heavens  into  order,  see  Last  'yi{dg7neiit  ^n.  46) ;  and 
Doctrine  of  the  New  yemsalevi  (n.  293.  294,  301,  303).  [9.]  In  the 
Gospels, 

"Jesus  said,  Henceforth  shall  ye  see  the  Son  of  man  sitting  on  the  right 
hand  of  power"  (Matt.  xxvi.  64  ;  Mark  xiv.  62  ;  Liikc  xxii.  69) ; 

and  in  Mark : 

"The  Lord,  after  He  had  spoken  to  them,  was  taken  up  into  heaven,  and 
sat  down  at  the  right  hand  of  God  "  (xvi.  ig). 

"To  sit  at  the  right  hand  of  power,"  and  "at  the  right  hand  of 
God,"  signifies  the  omnipotence  and  omniscience  which  the  Lord 
has  from  Divine  good  through  Divine  truth.     [|0.]   In  Isaiah: 

"I  have  strengthened  thee,  yea,  I  have  helped  thee,  [yea,  I  have  upheld 
thee,]  bv  the  right  hand  of  My  righteousness.  .  .  .  \,  Jehovah  Cif)d, 
strengthening  thy  right  hand,  saying  unto  thee,  Fear  not;  I  help 
ihee  '  (xli.  10,  13). 

"  I  have  strengthened  thee,  yea,  I  have  helped  thee,"  signifies  to 


CHAP,   v.,  VEKSK    I. — X.  29M[/;].  507 

give  power  and  intelligence  by  omnipotence  aiul  omniscience,  which 
are  from  Divine  good  through  I)i\ine  truth  ;  it  is  therefore  said. 
"  I  have  upheld  thee  by  the  right  hand  of  M>-  righteousness," 
"right  hand"  signifying  Divine  truth,  and  "righteousness"  Divine 
good;  the  power  and  wisdom  that  man  has  by  these  is  signified 
bv  "strengthening  thy  right  hand."  Since  both,  namely,  the  oin 
nipotence  and  omniscience  which  the  Lord  has  from  Divine  good 
through  Divine  truth  are  here  meant.  He  is  called  "Jehovah  God  :" 
for  the  Lord  is  called  "Jehovah"  from  Divine  good,  and  "God" 
from  Di"ine  truth  (see  A.c,  n.  709.  732.  2586,  2769,  2807,  2822.  3921.  4287, 
44027010,9167».     [II.]    In  the  same, 

"  Jehovah  said  to  His  anointed,  to  Cyrus,  whose  right  hand  I  have  holden, 
to  subdue  nations  before  him  ;  and  I  will  loose  the  loins  of  kings, 
to  open  doors  before  him,  that  the  gates  may  not  be  shut"(xlv.  i). 

"  Cyrus  "  in  a  representative  sense  means  the  Lord.  The  Lord's 
omnipotence  and  omniscience  from  Divine  good  through  Divine 
truth,  by  w  hich  u\  the  world  He  subjugated  all  the  hells,  and  there- 
after keeps  them  subjugated  for  ever,  is  signified  by  "  whose  right 
hand  I  have  holden,  to  subdue  nations  before  him,  and  I  will  loose 
the  loins  of  kings  ;"  also  by  "to  open  doors  before  him  that  the 
gates  may  not  be  shut."  "The  nations  to  be  subdued  before 
Him"  signify  the  hells  in  respe(5l  to  evils  ;  and  "the  kings  whose 
loins  He  should  loose,"  signify  the  hells  in  respedl  to  falsities. 
"The  doors  open  before  Him,  that  the  gates  may  not  be  shut," 
signifies  that  by  omniscience  all  things  are  manifest  to  Him,  antl 
that  by  omnipotence  He  has  power  to  save.  [12.]  "The  right 
hand  "  signifies  the  omniscience  and  omnipotence  that  the  Lord 
has  from  Divine  good  through  Divine  truth  in  the  following  pas- 
saijes  also.      In  David  : 

" Jjhovah  is  always  before  me;  because  He  is  at  my  "ight  hand  I  shall 
not  be  moved  "  {Psalm  xvi.  8V 

In  the  saniL'. 

O  (iod,  "  Thy  right  hand  doth  hold  me  up  "  {Psalm  xviii.  35). 

In  the  .same, 

O  God,  "  Thy  nand  is  full  of  righteousness  "  {Psalm  xlviii.  10). 

In  haiah  : 

"  My  hand  hath  founded  the  earth,  and  My  right  hand  hath  spanned  the 
heavens"  (xlviii.  13). 

In  the  .same, 


508  AI'OCALYPSE    KXl'LAINED. 

Ciod  "hath  sworn  hv  His  right  hand  and  by  the  arm  of  His  strength" 
(ixii.  8). 

In  tliL"  .  Ipoaj/ypsc  : 

The  Son  of  man,  "having  in  His  right  hand  seven  stars"  (i.  i6). 

In  David  : 

"  The  right  hand  of  Jehovah  doeth  valiantly  ;  the  right  hand  of  Jehovah 
has  been  exalted"  (cxviii.  15,  16). 

[c]  [13.]  As  "right  hand,"  in  reference  to  angels  and  men, 
means  the  wisdom  and  intelHgence  that  they  have  from  Divine 
good  through  Divine  truth  going  forth  from  the  Lord, 

So  there  appeared  to  Zechariah  "an  angel  of  the  Lord  standing  on  the 
right  side  of  the  altar  of  incense  "  {Luke  i.  11). 

And  an  angel  was  seen  in  the  tomb  where  the  the  Lord  had  been,  sit- 
ting on  the  right  side  {Mark  xvi.  5,  6); 

And  for  the  same  reason  the  sheep  are  said  to  have  been  set  on  the 
right  hand,  and  the  goats  on  the  left  {Afatt.  xxv.  33,  34,  seq.) , 

*' sheep"  here  meaning  those  who  are  in  truths  from  good,  or  in  a 
faith  of  truth  from  good  of  charity  :  and  "goats"  meaning  those 
who  are  in  faith  without  charity,  which  faith  is  called  faith  alone, 
and  regarded  in  itself  is  no  faith.  [14.]  Because  of  this  signifi- 
cation of  "right  hand,"  when  Aaron  and  his  sons  were  inaugurated 
into  the  priesthood 

Blood  was  sprinkled  upon  their  right  ear  and  upon  their  right  hand,  and 
upon  the  great  toe  of  the  right  foot  {Exod.  xxix.  20) ; 

"blood"  here  signifying  Divine  truth  from  Divine  good;  "right 
ear,"  the  ability  to  perceive  trutli  from  good;  "right  hand" 
and  "right  foot"  understanding  and  power  of  truth  from  good 
in  the  internal  or  spiritual  man  and  in  t!ie  external  or  natural 
man;  and  "great  toe"  fulness.  [15.]  As  most  expressions  in  the 
Word  have  also  a  contrary  sense,  so  has  "right  hand,"  which 
in  that  sense  signifies  falsity  from  evil,  and  its  reasoning  and 
combat  against  truth  from  good.     As  in  David : 

"Thou  hast  exalted  the  right  hand  of  his  adversaries"  {Psalm  Ixxxix, 

42). 

In  the  same, 

"Whose  mouth  speaketh  vanity,  and  their  right  hand  is  a  right  hand  of 
falsehood"  \Psalm  cxliv.  8,  11). 

In  Isaiah: 

"That  he  cannot  deliver  his  soul,  nor  say,  Is  there  not  a  lie  in  my  right 
hand?"  (xliv.  20.) 


CHAP,   v.,   VERSE   I. — N.   299.  509 

In  the  Apocalypse  : 

They  were  to  receive  the  mark  of  the  beast  "  on  the  right  hand  or  on 
the  forehead"  (xiii.  16  ;  xiv.  9). 

The  "right  hand"  in  reference  to  things  evil  signifies  falsity,  and 
consequent  reasoning  and  combat  against  truth,  because  with 
those  who  are  in  evil  and  with  those  who  are  in  good  the  quar- 
ters are  opposite ;  therefore  to  the  right  hand  of  those  in  evil 
truths  are  in  dense  darkness,  but  falsities  in  the  greatest  light,  as  it 

were.  (That  in  the  spiritual  world  with  those  who  are  in  evil  and  with  thuic  who 
are  in  good  the  quarters  are  opposite,  see  Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  151,  152 ;  and  why, 
O.  122,  123.) 

299.  "A  book  written  within  and  on  the  back"  signifies  the 
state  of  life  of  all  in  heaven  and  on  the  earth,  in  general  and  in 
particular. — This  is  evident  from  the  signification  of  "book," 
here  "  book  of  life,"  as  meaning  what  the  Lord  writes  on  or 
implants  in  the  spirit  of  man,  that  is,  in  the  heart  and  soul,  or  what 
is  the  same,  in  his  love  and  faith  (of  which  see  above,  n.  199}  ; 
therefore  the  "book"  here  signifies  the  state  of  life  of  all  in 
heaven  and  on  the  earth,  and  "  written  "  signifies  what  is  implanted 
by  the  Lord  (that  to  "write"  signifies  to  implant,  see  also  above, 
n.  222).  Also  from  the  signification  of  "within  and  on  the  back," 
as  meaning  what  i^  in  the  heart  and  soul,  or  in  love  and  faith  ;  for 
with  man  and  spirit  love  is  within,  because  it  makes  his  life  ;  but 
faith,  unless  it  is  in  his  love,  is  not  within  him,  but  behind  or  "on 
the  back  ;"'  for  faith  that  is  faith  makes  one  absolutely  with  the 
love,  since  what  a  man  loves  is  of  his  faith,  but  what  he  does  not 
love  is  not  of  his  faith.  That  which  one  thinks  from  memorj'-  anci 
teaches  from  do(5trine,  appears,  indeed,  to  be  faith  ;  but  if  this 
be  loved  only  from  a  natural  not  from  a  spiritual  love,  it  is  merely 
the  thought-sight  of  the  external  man,  which  sight  is  a  counter- 
feit of  faith  ;  and  such  faith,  since  it  is  destitute  of  life,  until  it 
is  implanted  in  the  internal  man  and  its  love,  is  not  in  man  but 
behind  him,  or  at  his  back.  Faith  implanted  in  the  internal  man 
and  its  love  is  believing  and  loving  truth  because  it  is  truth,  and 
not  loving  it  chiefly  for  the  sake  of  a  reputation  for  learning,  and 
honor  or  gain  therefrom.  From  all  this  it  can  be  seen  what  is 
signified  by  "written  within  and  on  the  back."  [2.]  The  truth 
treated  of  in  this  chapter  is,  that  the  Lord  only,  and  no  one 
but  the  Lord,  knows  the  states  of  life  of  all  in  general  and  of  each 
one  in  particular.  This  is  representatively  depidted  by  "a  book 
written  which  no  one  was  able  to  open  and  read,  neither  to  look 
thereon,  except  the  Lamb,"  that  is,  the  Lord.     The  Lord  alone 


510  AI'OCALVPSK    KXl'l.AIXr.n. 

knows  iliis  Ix'cause  He  is  the  only  God,  and  because  He  formed 
tlie  angelic  heaven  after  His  own  image,  and  man  after  the  im- 
age of  heaven  ;  for  this  reason  He  knows  all  things  of  heaven  in 
general,  and  He  who  knows  all  things  of  heaven  in  general  knows 
also  every  one  in  particular ;  for  a  man  who  is  in  truths  from 
go<jd,  as  well  as  an  angel,  is  an  image  of  heaven,  since  he  is  a 
form  of  heaven.  From  this  it  follows  that  only  he  who  knows 
the  general  state  of  all  kncnvs  the  state  of  any  one  in  particular,  for 
the  one  is  inseparably  connected  with  the  other.      But  as  these  things 

cannot  be  described  in  ;i  few  words,  see  what  i^  shown  in  Heaven  and  Hell,  where 
they  are  more  distinctly  and  clearly  described,  in  the  followinjj  articles :  The  Divine 
of  the  Lord  makes  Heaven,  n.  7-12;  Every  .A.ngel  is  a  Heaven  in  the  least  form,  n. 
^1-58  ;  The  whole  Heaven  in  the  complex  has  reference  to  one  Man,  n.  59-67;  like- 
wise each  Society  there,  n.  68-72;  Every  Angel,  therefore,  is  in  a  complete  Human 
Form,  n.  73-77  ;  Heaven,  which  is  from  the  Divine  Human  of  the  Lord,  in  the  whole 
.ind  in  part  has  reference  to  Man,  n.  78-86;  There  is  a  Correspondence  of  all  things 
of  Heaven  with  all  things  of  Man,  n.  87-102;  On  the  (^"onjundlion  of  Heaven  with 

Mankind,  n.  291-302.)  [3.]  It  is  to  be  observed  that  here  and  else- 
where in  the  Word  a  "book"  is  mentioned,  meaning  thereby  a 
roll  (voiumen)  \  for  in  ancient  times  they  wrote  upon  parchments, 
vvhich  were  rolled  up,  and  the  parchment  was  called  a  "book" 
and  a  "  roll  of  a  book,"  as  can  be  seen   in  the  V'^ord.     Thus  in 

"  I  looked,  when  behold,  a  hand  was  put  torth  unto  me  ;  and  lo,  a  roll 
of  a  book  was  therein, ....  written  within  and  without  "  (ii.  9,  10). 

And  ill  David  : 

"Then   said  I,  Lo,  I   am  come  ;   in  the   roll  of  the  book  it  is  written  of 
Me  "  {Psalm  xl.  7). 

For  this  reason  it  is  .said  in  Isaiah  : 

"All  the  host  of  the  heavens  shall  waste  away,  at(i  IJie  heavens  shall  be 
rolled  up  as  a  scroll "  (xxxiv.  4). 

Likewisi,   in  the  Apocalypse : 

"The  heaven  was  removed,  as  a  book  rolled  up"  (vi.  14). 

From  all  this  it  can  be  kn(^wn  liow  the  book  that  John  saw  was 
"written  within  antl  on  the  back." 

300.  "Sealed  up  with  seven  seals"  signifies  a/together  hid- 
den, namely,  the  state  of  life  of  all  in  heaven  and  on  the  earth. 
— This  is  evident  from  the  signification  of  "  sealed  with  seals," 
;..-.  ine.uiing  to  be  hidden,  for  what  is  contained  in  a  book  sealed 
with  .seals  no  one  knows  until  it  is  opened  and  read  ;  also  from 
the  signification  of  "seven,"  as  meaning  all  persons  and  all  things, 
also  fulness  and  wholeness  (see  above,  n.  257 ) ;  thus  as  meaning 
altogether,  because  this  means  full}-  and  whollw 


CHAP,   v.,   VERSK    2. — N.   302  .  51I 


VKRSKS   2,   3. 


'XOI*  "And  I  saw  a  strong  angel  proclaiming  with  a  great  voice,  Who  is  worthy  to 
open  the  booli,  and  to  loose  the  seals  thereof  ?  And  no  one  was  able,  in  heaven  nor  upon  the 
earth  nor  under  the  earth,  to  open  the  booh,  neither  to  look  thereon." 

2.  "And  I  saw  a  strong  angel  proclaiming  with  a  great  voice"  signifies  explora- 

tion bv  the  ill /III  v  of  the  Lord  into  heaven  (11.  302J  ;  "Who  is  worthy 
to  open  the  book,  and  to  loose  the  seals  thereof?"  signifies  /s  there 
anyone  there  capable  of  knowing  and  perceiving  the  states  of  life  of. 
all:''  [n.  303.] 

3.  "And  no  one  was  able,  in  heaven  nor  upon  the  earth  nor  under  the  earth,  to 

open  the  book,  neither  to  look  thereon,"  signifies  manifestation  that  no 
one  kno7as  ana  perceives  of  himself  anything  whatever  of  the  state  of 
life  of  all  in  general,  and  of  each  in  particular  [n.  304]. 

302.  {Vers,-  2  ]  "And  I  saw  a  strong  angel  proclaiming  with  a 
great  voice"  signifies  exploration  by  the  infltcx  of  the  Lord  into 
ficavcn. — This  is  evident  from  the  signification  of  a  "  strong  angel," 
as  meaning  heaven  (of  which  presently)  ;  also  from  the  significa- 
tion of  "proclaiming  with  a  great  voice,"  as  meaning  exploration 
by  the  influx  of  the  Lord,  namely,  exploration  whether  any  one  is 
able  to  know  the  states  of  life  of  all  in  heaven  and  on  the  earth 
in  general  and  in  particular,  for  this  is  what  is  here  treated  of. 
This  is  signified  by  "  proclaiming,"  and  the  influx  of  the  Lord  is 
signified  by  "a  great  voice  ;"  for  "voice,"  in  reference  to  the  Lord, 
signifies  every  truth  of  the  Word,  of  do6lrine,  and  of  faith  from  Him ; 
and  in  reference  to  heaven  and  the  church,  signifies  every  thought 
and  affe6lion  from  that  truth  ;  and  since  everything  true  and  good 
that  angels  in  heaven  and  men  in  whom  the  church  is,  think  and 
are  affe6led  by,  is  from  the  influx  of  the  Lord,  this  is  what  is  here 
signified  by  "a  great  voice."  It  is  well  known,  that  no  one  from 
love  of  good  can  be  affe<5led  by  good,  or  from  lo\e  of  truth  can 
think  truth,  of  himself  ,  but  that  this  flows  in  from  heaven,  that  is, 
through  heaven  from  the  Lord;  and  because  this  is  so,  "a  great 

voice  "  signifies  the  influx  of  the  Lord.  (That  "  voice  "  in  the  Word  sig- 
nifies the  truth  of  the  Word,  of  dodlrine,  and  of  faith,  also  everything  affirmed  in  the 
Word,  see  above,  n.  261,  and  A.C.,  n.  3563,  6971,  8813,  9926;  and  that  it  signi- 
fies interior  affedlion  for  truth  and  good,  and  thought  therefrom,  n.  10454.)      A 

"  Strong  angel "  signifies  heaven  because  the  whole  angelic  heaven 
before  the  Lord  is  as  one  man,  or  as  one  angel,  likewise  each  so- 
ciety of  heaven;  therefore  by  "angel"  in  the  Word  an  angel  is 
not  meant,  but  an  entire  angelic  society,  as  by  "  Michael,"  "  Ga- 
briel," "  Raphael."  Here,  therefore,  "  a  strong  angel  proclaim- 
ing with  a  great  voice"  signifies  the  influx  of  the  Lord  into  the 
whole  heaven.  That  it  is  into  the  whole  heaven  is  clear  from  what 
follows,  for  it  is  said,  "  And  no  one  was  able,  in  heaven  nor  upon 


512  APOCALYPSE   EXPLAINED. 

the  earth  neither  under  the  earth,  to  open  the  book  and  to  look 

thereon."  (That  "angels"  in  the  Word  mean  entire  societies  of  heaven,  and 
in  the  highest  sense  the  Lord  in  respecft  to  Divine  truth  going  forth,  see  above,  n. 
90,  130,  200 ;  and  that  The  Whole  Heaven  before  the  Lord  is  as  one  Man,  or  as 

one  Angel,  also  every  Society  of  Heaven,  see  Heaven  and  Hell.  n.  59-87.) 

303.  "Who  is  worthy  to  open  the  book  and  to  loose  the  seals 
thereof?"  signifies,  Is  there  anyone  there  capable  of  knoumig  and 
perceiving  the  states  of  life  of  all? — This  is  evident  from  the  sig- 
nification of  "Who  is  worthy?"  as  meaning,  Is  there  anyone  who 
has  merit  and  righteousness,  and  who  has  omniscience,  and  is 
therefore  able?  That  "worthy,"  in  reference  to  the  Lord,  signifies 
merit  and  righteousness,  which  belong  to  Him  alone,  see  above 
(n.  293).  And  that  omniscience  is  signified  is  clear  from  what  fol- 
lows, where  it  is  said,  ''the  Lamb  took  the  book  out  of  the  right 
hand  of  Him  that  sat  upon  the  throne,  and  opened  it;"  for  "right 
hand"  signifies  omniscience  and  omnipotence  (see above,  n.  297) ; 
it  is  evident  also  from  the  signification  of  the  "book,"  as  meaning 
the  states  of  life  of  all  in  general  and  in  particular  (of  which  see  just 
above,  n.  299)  ;  also  from  the  signification  of  "  to  open  the  book 
and  to  loose  the  seals  thereof,"  as  meaning  to  know  and  perceive  ; 
for  when  a  "book"  signifies  the  states  of  life  of  all,  "to  open  and 
to  loose  the  seals  "  signifies  to  know  and  perceive  those  states  ;  for 
knowing  and  perceiving  are  predicated  of  the  state  of  life,  but 
opening  and  loosening  seals  relate  to  a  book  ;  thus  the  words  in 
the  internal  sense  conform  to  the  things  signified  by  the  words  in 
the  sense  of  the  letter,  for  they  correspond  ;  therefore,  "to  open  " 
signifies  to  know,  and  "to  loose  the  seals"  signifies  to  perceive 
what  is  altogether  hidden  from  others  (as  above,  n.  300). 

304.[#l]*  \Verse  3.]  "And no  one  was  able,  in  heaven  nor  upon 
the  earth  nor  under  the  earth,  to  open  the  book,  neither  to  look 
thereon,"  signifies  manifestatioti  that  no  one  knows  and  perceives 
of  himself  anything  whatever  of  the  state  of  life  of  all  in  geyie- 
ral,  and  of  each  one  in  particular. — This  is  evident  from  the  signi- 
fication of  "  And  no  one  was  able  ...  to  open  the  book,  neither  to 
look  thereon,"  as  meaning  that  no  one  of  himself  knows  and  per- 
cevies  the  states  of  the  life  of  all  in  general  and  of  each  one  in  par- 
ticular (of  which  see  just  above,  n.  303)  ;  also  from  the  signification 
of  "in  heaven  nor  upon  the  earth  nor  under  the  earth,"  as  meaning 
that  no  one  anywhere  has  such  knowledge,  not  even  in  the  slight- 
est degree  ;  for  "  in  heaven,  upon  the  earth,  and  under  the  earth," 
means  the  three  heavens ;  and  by  all  who  are  there  heaven  in  its 
entire  complex  is  meant.     Moreover,  as  heaven  is  heaven  from 


CHAP,   v.,   VERSE    3.— N.   304[<J].  513 

the  Divine  truth  that  flows  in  from  the  Lord  and  is  received  by 
anc^els,  and  not  at  all  Ironi  any  self- intelligence  of  the  angels,  for 
this  is  no  intelligence,  so  the  same  words  signify  that  no  one  has 
anv  knowledge  or  perception  whatever  from  himself.  That  an- 
gels in  heaven  as  well  as  men  in  the  world  have  a  sell  hood  (propn- 
um),  which  regarded  in  itself  is  nothing  but  evil  (see  Heaven  and  Heii, 
n.  592),  and  as  evil  receives  nothing  of  intelligence  and  wisdom,  it 
follows  that  angels  as  well  as  men  understand  nothing  at  all  of 
truth  from  themselves,  but  solely  from  the  Lord.  Angels  are 
such  for  the  reason  that  all  angels  are  from  the  human  race, 
and  every  man  retains  alter  death  what  is  his  own  {suumproprium), 
and  angels  are  withheld  from  the  evils  that  pertain  to  what  is 
their  own  (j>roprii  eorum)   and  are   kept  in  goods   by  the  Lord. 

(That  all  angels  are  from  the  human  race,  and  not  one  is  created  such  from  the  be- 
ginning, see  Last  Judgment,  n.  14-22  ;  and  that  they  are  all  withheld  from  evil,  and 
kept  in  good  by  the  Lord,  see  Dodrine  of  the  New  yerusalem,  n.  166.)     [2.]    "  lu 

heaven,"  "  upon  the  earth,"  and  "  under  the  earth,"  signify  the  three 
heavens,  because  the  angels  that  are  in  the  third  or  highest  heaven 
dwell  upon  mountains ;  and  those  that  are  in  the  second  or  mid- 
dle, upon  hills ;  and  those  that  are  in  the  first  or  lowest,  in  plains 
and  valleys  below  these.  For  in  the  spiritual  world,  where  spirits 
and  angels  dwell,  it  is  just  as  it  is  in  the  natural  world  where  men 
dwell,  that  is,  there  are  lands,  hills,  and  mountains  ;  and  in  appear- 
ance the  resemblance  is  such  that  there  is  no  difference  at  all ; 
therefore  men  after  death  scarcely  know  otherwise  than  that  they 
are  still  livmg  on  the  earth,  and  when  the  privilege  is  granted 
tliem  to  look  into  our  world,  they  see  nothing  dissimilar.  More- 
over, the  angels  who  are  in  the  lowest  heaven  call  that  heaven 
where  the  angels  of  the  third  heaven  dwell,  because  it  is  high  above 
them,  and  where  they  themselves  dwell  they  call  earth ;  and  fur- 
ther, the  third  or  highest  heaven,  which  is  upon  mountains,  ap- 
pears, to  those  who  are  below  or  upon  that  earth,  as  the  highest 
region  of  the  atmosphere  covered  with  a  thin  bright  cloud  appears 
to  us,  thus  as  the  sky  appears  to  us.  From  this  it  can  be  seen 
what  is  here  meant,  specitically,  by  "  in  heaven,"  "  upon  the  earth  " 

and  "  under  the  earth."  (But  more  can  be  seen  on  this  subjecl;  in  Heaven 
and  Hell,  where  Appearances  in  Heaven  are  treated  of,  n.  170-176  ;  and  The  Ilahi- 
t  itions  in  1  Dwelling-places  of  .Angels,  n.  183-189.) 

[6.]  [3.]  As  men  have  not  known  that  the  face  of  the  earth 
appears  alike  in  both  worlds,  the  natural  and  the  spiritual,  they 
have  not  perceived  otherwise  when  they  have  read  the  Word 
than  that  "heaven"  and  "earth"  there  mean  the  sky  visible 
before  our  eyes,  and  the  earth  inhabited  by  men  ;  from  this  arose 
the  belief  in  the  destruction  of  heaven  and  earth,  and  the  creation 


514  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

of  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth  at  the  day  of  the  last  judgment ; 
when  yet  "heaven"  and  "earth"  there  mean  the  heaven  and  tiie 
earth  where  spirits  and  angels  dwell,  and  in  the  spiritual  sense  the 

church  with  angels  and  with  men  (for  tliere  is  a  church  with  angels  as  well 
as  with  men,  as  may  be  seen  in  Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  221-227).      It  is  Said,  in 

the  spiritual  sense,  for  an  angel  is  not  an  angel,  nor  is  a  man  a  man 
because  of  the  human  form,  which  both  have,  but  because  of  heaven 
and  the  church  with  them.  This  is  why  "heaven"  and  "earth," 
where  angels  and  men  dwell,  signify  the  church  ;  "heaven"  the  in- 
ternal church  and  the  church  with  angels  ;  and  "  earth  "  the  external 
church  and  the  church  with  men.  But  since  it  can  scarcely  be  l.e- 
lieved  that  "  earth''-"  in  the  Word  means  the  church,  because  it  is  not 
yet  known  that  in  every  particular  of  the  Word  there  is  a  spiritual 
sense,  and  as  a  consequence,  a  material  idea  adheres  and  keeps 
the  thought  fixed  in  the  nearest  meaning  of  the  expression,  I  wish 
to  illustrate  and  prove  it  by  some  quotations.     [4.]    In  Isaiah  : 

"  Behold,  Jehovah  maketh  the  earth  void,  and  maketh  it  empty,  and  He 
shall  disfigure  the  faces  thereof ; ....  in  emptying  the  earth  shall 
be  emptied,  and  in  spoiling  it  shall  be  spoiled  . .  .  :  the  habitable 
earth  shall  mourn  and  be  confounded  ; . . . .  the  world  shai'i  be  con- 
founded ;.  . .  .the  earth  shall  be  profaned  under  its  inhabitants  ; . . . . 
therefore  a  curse  shall  devour  the  earth, ....  and  the  inhabitants 

of  the  earth  shall  be  burnt  up,  and  a  man  shall  be  rare A 

shout  over  the  wine  in  the  streets  ;„...  the  gladness  of  the  earth 
shall  be  banished ;  it  shall  be  in  the  midst  of  the  earth ....  as  the 
shaking  of  an  olive   tree,  as  the  gleanings  when  the  vintage  is 

ended From  the  uttermost  part  of  the  earth  we  have  heard 

songs.  Glory  to  the  righteous The  flood-gates  from  on  hif h 

are  opened,  and  the  foundations  of  the  earth  are  moved  ;  in  break- 
ing the  earth  is  broken,  in  rending  the  earth  is  rent  asunder,  in 
moving  the  earth  is  moved ;  in  tottering  the  earth  shall  totter  as 
a  drunkard  ;  and  it  shall  be  moved  to  and  fro  as  a  veil ; . . . .  but  if 
shall  be  in  that  day  that  Jehovah  will  visit  upon  the  host  of  the 
height  in  the  height,  and  upon  the  kings  of  the  earth  who  are  upon 
the  earth"  (xxiv.  i,  3-6,  11,  13,  16, 18-21). 

Here  it  is  very  clear  that  "earth"  does  not  mean  the  earth,  but 
the  church.  Let  the  particulars  be  run  over  and  considered.  One 
who  is  in  spiritual  thought  does  not  think,  when  "earth"  is  men- 
tioned, of  the  earth  itself,  but  of  the  people  on  it  and  their  quality  ; 
still  more  is  this  true  of  those  who  are  in  heaven ;  who,  since  they 
are  spiritual,  perceive  that  the  church  is  meant.  Here  the  church 
destroyed  is  treated  of ;  its  destrudlion  in  respe<5l  to  good  of  love 
and  truth  of  faith,  which  constitute  it,  is  described  by  "Jehovah 
maketh  the  earth  void  and  maketh  it  empty,"  "in  empt}'ing  the 
earth  shall  be  emptied,  in  spoiling  it  shall  be  spoiled;"  "it  shall 

*   In  what  here  follows,  terra  is  generally  translated  "earth,"  but  sometimes 
*'knd" 


CHAP,   v.,   VP:RSK    3. — N.  304[/-'J.  c:^,^ 

mourn  and  be  confounded,"  "it  shall  be  profaned,"  and  "a  curse 
sh  ill  devour  it;"  "the  flood-gates  from  on  high  are  opened,  and 
th;i  foundations  of  it  are  moved  ;"  "  it  is  broken,"  "it  Is  rent  asun- 
der," "  it  is  moved,"  "  it  shall  totter  as  a  drunkard."  These  things 
can  be  said  neither  of  the  earth,  nor  of  any  nation,  but  only  of  the 
church.     [5.]    In  the  same, 

"  Behold,  the  day  of  Jehovah  cometh, ....  to  lay  the  earth  waste  ;  and  He 
shall  destroy  the  sinners  out  of  it.  For  the  stars  01  the  heavens 
and  the  constellations  thereof  do  not  give  their  light,  the  sun  hath 
been  darkened  in  its  rising,  and  the  moon  maketh  not  her  light 

to  shine I  will  make  a  man  more  rare  than  pure  gold  ;. .  . . 

wherefore  I  will  move  the  heavens,  and  the  earth  shall  be  shaken 
out  of  its  place"  (xiii.  9,  10,  12,  13). 

It  is  clear  from  the  particulars  understood  in  a  spiritual  sense, 
that  "earth"  here  means  the  church.  The  end  of  the  church  is 
here  treated  of,  when  truth  and  good,  or  faith  and  charity,  are  no 
more.  For  "the  stars  and  constellations,"  that  do  not  give  their 
light,  signify  knowledges  of  truth  and  good  ;  the  "sun,"  that  has 
been  darkened  m  its  rising,  signifies  love  ;  the  "moon,"  that  mak- 
eth not  her  light  to  shine,  signifies  faith  ;  a  "  man,"  made  more  rare 
than  pure  gold,  signifies  intelligence  and  wisdom  :  this  makes 
clear  what  is  signified  by  "  Behold,  the  day  of  Jehovah  cometh  to 

lay  the  earth  waste I  will  move  the  heavens,  and  the  earth 

shall  be  shaker  out  of  its  place."  "  The  day  of  Jehovah  "  is  the  last 
end  of  the  church,  when  there  is  a  judgment ;  the  "  earth  "  is  the 
church,  it  can  be  seen  that  the  earth  itself  is  not  shaken  out  of 
its  i^lace,  but  that  the  church  is  removed  when  love  and  faith  are 
not.  "To  be  shaken  out  of  its  place"  signifies  to  be  removed 
from  its  former  state.     [6  ]    In  the  same, 

"Behold,  the  Lord, ....as  a  deluge  of  hail,  a  storm  of  slaughter,  as  a 
deluge  of  mighty  waters,  ....  He  shall  cast  down  to  the  earth  with 

the  hand A  consummation   and  decision   I  have  heard  from 

the  Lord  Jehovih  of  Hosts  upon  the  whole  earth  "  (xxviii.  2,  22). 

This  was  said  of  the  day  of  judgment  upon  those  who  are  of  the 
church.  The  day  of  judgment,  when  the  church  is  at  an  end  is 
meant  by  "a  consummation  and  decision  I  have  heard  from  the 
Lord  Jehovih  of  Hosts  upon  the  whole  earth  ;"  it  is  therefore  said 
"as  a  deluge  of  hail,  a  storm  of  slaughter,  as  a  deluge  of  mighty 
waters, ....  He  shall  cast  down  to  the  earth  with  the  hand."  By 
"hail"  and  "deluge  of  it"  falsities  that  destroy  the  truths  of  the 
church  are  signified:  by  "slaughter,"  and  "a  storm  of  it,"  evils 
that  destroy  the  goods  of  the  church  are  signified  ;  by  "mighty 
waters  "  fal'^ities  of  evil  are  signified.     (That  a  "  deluge  "  or  "  flood  "  sig- 


/l6  Ai'OCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

nifies  iniiiuTsioii  into  evils  and  falsities,  and  consequent  destruClion  of  the  church,. 
see.-/.t'.,  n.  660,  705,  739,  756,  790,  5725,  6853  ;  the  same  is  meant  by  "  casting  down 
to  the  earth,"  that  is,  a  violent  rain.      [  7.]     Ill  the  Same, 

"  The  land  shall  become  burning  pitch ; , . .  from  generation  to  generation 
it  shall  lie  waste  "  (xxxiv.  9,  lo). 

"Burning  pitch"  signifies  every  evil  springing  fi-om  love  of  self, 
through  which  the  church  entirely  perishes  and  is  wasted  ;  it  is  ' 
therefore  said,  "the  land  shall  become  burning  pitch  ; ,  .  .  .  from 
generation  to  generation  it  shall  lie  waste."    Who  does  not  see  that 
such  things  are  not  said  of  the  land  itself?     [8.]    In  the  same, 

"The  land  mourneth  and  languisheth  ;  Lebanon  is  ashamed  and  hath 
withered  away  "  (xxxiii.  9). 

Here  also  the  " land "  means  the  church,  which  is  said  'to  mourn " 
and  "  to  languish  "  when  falsities  begin  to  be  accepted  as  truths,  and 
acknowledged  in  place  of  truths  ;  it  is  therefore  said,  "  Lebanon  is 
ashamed  and  hath  withered  away  ;"  "  Lebanon  "  signifj-ingthe  same 
as  "cedar,"  namely,  the  truth  of  the  church.    [9.]   In  ycrcmiah: 

"A  lion  is  gone  up  from  his  thicket,  and  a  destroyer  of  the  nations  hath 
gone  forth.  .  .  .from  his  place  to  make  thy  land  a  waste  ;  thy  cities 

shall  be  destroyed I  looked  at  the  earth,  when  lo,  it  is  void 

and  empty  ;  and  towards  the  heavens,  and  lo,  they  have  no  light. 
I  beheld  the  mountains,  and  lo,  they  are  moved,  and  aW  the  hills 

are  overturned Jehovah  said,  The  whole  earth  shall  be  a 

waste For  this  shall  the  land  mourn,  and  the  heavens  above 

be  black"  (iv.  7,  23,  24,  27,  28). 

Here  also  the  vastation  of  the  church  is  treated  of,  which  takes 
place  when  there  are  no  longer  truth  and  good,  but  falsit}-  and  evil 
in  place  of  them.  This  vastation  is  described  by  "  a  lion  going 
up  from  his  thicket,  and  a  destroyer  of  the  nations  going  forth 
from  his  place ;"  a  "lion"  and  a  "destroyer  of  the  nations"  signi- 
fying falsity  and  evil  laying  waste.  The  "mountains,"  that  are 
moved,  and  the  "hills,"  that  are  overturned,  signify  love  to  the 
Lord  and  charity  towards  the  neighbor.  This  is  the  signification  of 
"  mountains  "  and  "-hills,"  because  those  who  are  in  love  to  the  Lord 
dwell  upon  mountains  in  heaven,  and  those  who  are  in  charity 

towards  the  neighbor,  upon  hills  (see  what  has  been  said  above,  also  in 
Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  i88,  and  the  notes  there,  letter  c,  first  edition).     "  The  hea\''- 

ens  where  there  was  no  light,  and  that  were  to  be  black"  signify 
the  interiors  of  the  men  of  the  church,  which,  when  closed  by  evils 
:;nd  falsities,  do  not  admit  light  from  heaven,  but  darkness  iV' ■m 
hell  instead.  From  all  this  it  can  be  seen  what  is  signified  bv  "the 
lion  and  the  destroyer  of  the  nations  making  the  land  a  waste ;" 
likewise  by  "  I  looked  at  the  earth,  and  lo,  it  was  void  and  empty  ;"' 


CHAP,  v.,   VERSE   3. — N.   304[rJ.  517 

also  by  "the  whole  earth  shall  be  a  waste ; ....  for  this  shall  the 
land  mourn,"  namely,  that  the  earth  is  not  meant,  but  the  church. 
[10.]    In  the  same, 

"  How  long  shall  the  land  mourn,  and  the  herb  of  every  field  [wither]  ? 
for  the  wickedness  of  them  that  dwell  therein  the  beasts  shall  be 
consumed,  and  the  birds The  whole  land  is  made  desolate  be- 
cause no  man  layeth  it  to  heart.  Spoilers  are  come  upon  all  the 
bare  heights  in  the  desert;  for  the  sword  of  Jehovah  devoureth 

from  one  end  of  the  land  even  to  the  other They  have  sown 

wheat  and  have  reaped  thorns"  (xii.  4,  11-13). 

That  the  "land"  here  signifies  the  church  is  evident,  from  its  be- 
ing said  that  "the  land  shall  mourn,  and  the  herb  of  every  field 
[wither],"  and  that  "the  beasts  and  the  birds  shall  be  consumed 
for  the  wickedness  of  them  that  dwell  therein,  and  because  no  man 
layeth  it  to  heart."  "  The  herb  of  every  field  "  signifies  every  truth 
and  good  of  the  church,  and  the  "  beasts  and  birds  "  signify  afifec- 
tions  for  good  and  truth  :  and  since  the  church  is  signified  by  the 
"land,"  and  it  is  here  described  as  vastated,  it  is  said  "spoilers 
are  come  upon  all  the  bare  heights  in  the  desert ;  for  the  sword 
of  Jehovah  devoureth  from  one  end  of  the  land  even  to  the  other. 
....  They  have  sown  wheat,  and  have  reaped  thorns."  "The 
bare  heights  in  the  desert,"  upon  which  the  spoilers  came,  signify 
the  things  that  are  of  charity,  "desert"  meaning  where  there  is 
no  good  because  no  truth  ;  "  the  sword  of  Jehovah  "  signifies  fals- 
ity destroying  truth  ;  "from  one  end  of  the  land  to  the  other" 
signifies  all  things  of  the  church  ;  "  to  sow  wheat  and  reap  thorns  " 
signifies  to  take  from  the  Word  the  truths  of  good  and  to  turn 
them  into  falsities  of  evil,  "wheat"  meaning  truths  of  good,  and 
"  thorns  "  falsities  of  evil. 
[c]    [II.]    In  Isaiah  : 

"  Upon  the  land  of  my  people  shall  come  up  the  thorn  and  briar  ;  .  . . . 
the  palace  shall  be  deserted  ;  the  multitude  of  the  city  shall  be  for- 
saken "  (xxxii.  13,  14). 

The  "thorn  and  briar"  that  shall  come  upon  the  land,  signify  fals- 
ity and  evil  ;  the  "palace"  that  shall  be  deserted,  signifies  where 
good  dwells;  and  the  "  multitude  of  the  city"  that  shall  be  for- 
saken, signifies  where  there  are  truths,  for  "city"  signifies  doc- 
trine of  truth.     [12.]    In  the  same, 

"All  the  land  shall  be  a  place  of  briars  and  brambles  ;  but  as  to  all  the 
mountains  that  shall  be  weeded  with  the  hoe,  there  shall  not  come 
thither  the  fear  of  briars  and  brambles  ;  but  there  shall  be  the  send- 
ing forth  of  the  ox  and  the  treading  of  the  sheep  "  (vii.  24,  25). 

"Briars  and  brambles"  signify  falsity  and  evil  ;  which  makes  evi- 
dent what  is  signified  by  "  all  the  land  shall  be  a  place  of  briars 


5irf  APOCAl.YPSE    KXPLAINHI). 

and  brambles."  "The  mountains  that  shall  be  weeded  with  the 
hoe"  signify  those  who  from  love  of  good  do  good  works,  that 
with  them  there  shall  be  no  falsity  and  evil,  but  both  spiritual  and 
natural  good,  is  signified  by  "  there  shall  not  ccme  thither  the 
fear  of  briars  and  brambles,  but  there  shall  be  th-  sending  forth  of 
the  ox,  and  the  treading  of  sheep  ;"  that  is,  thither  shall  oxen  be 
sent,  and  there  the  sheep  shall  tread,  "ox"  signifying  natural 
good,  and  "sheep"  spiritual  good.     [13.]    In  Ezekiel : 

'•Thy  mother  is  a  lioness;  she  couched  among  lions; one    of  her 

whelps  rose  up  :.  . .  .he  laid  waste  the  cities;  the  land  and  the  ful- 
ness thereof  was  made  desolate  by  the  voice  of  his  roaring"  (xix. 

2,  3.  7^- 

"  Mother  "  signifies  the  church  ;  a  "  lioness  "  and  "  lions  "  signify  the 
power  of  evil  and  felsity  against  good  and  truth  ;  the  "  roaring  "  of 
the  lion,  signifies  the  lust  of  destroying  and  desolating;  the  "  cities," 
that  he  laid  waste,  signify  doclrine  with  its  truths  ,  which  makes 
evident  what  is  signified  by  "  the  land  and  the  fulness  thereof  was 
made  desolate,"  namely,  the  whole  church.    [14.]    In  the  same, 

"  They  shall  eat  their  bread  with  anxiety,  and  drink  their  waters  with  as- 
tonishment, that  the  land  may  be  laid  waste  from  the  fulness  there- 
of, because  of  the  violence  of  all  them  that  dwell  therein  ;  and  the 
cities  that  are  inhabited  shall  be  laid  waste,  and  the  land  shall  be 
a  desolation  "  (xii.  19,  20). 

Here  "  the  land  and  the  cities  that  shall  be  laid  waste  and  shall  be 
a  desolation"  have  the  same  signification  as  above,  namely,  "the 
land"  signifies  the  church,  and  "cities"  dodrine  with  its  truths; 
It  is  therefore  said,  "because  of  the  violence  of  all  them  that  dwell 
therein."  Since  this  is  what  is  meant,  it  is  first  said  that "  they  shall 
eat  their  bread  with  anxiety,  and  drink  their  waters  with  astonish- 
ment, "bread"  and  "water"  in  the  Word  signifying  every  good  of 
love  and  truth  of  faith  (see  A.c,  n.9323),  and  "eating"  and  "drink- 
ing" signifying  instru6lion  and  appropriation  (n.  3168,  3513,  3832, 
9412).     [15.]    In  David  : 

"  I  called  upon  Jehovah,  and  cried  unto  my  God.    . .  .   Then  the  earth 
:  shook  and  trembled,  and  the  foundations  of  the  mountains  quaked 

and  shook  when  He  was  wroth"  {Psalm  xviii.  6,  7). 

Here  the  "earth"  stands  for  the  church,  which  is  said  to  "shake 
and  tremble"  when  it  is  per\'erted  by  the  falsification  of  truths  ;  and 
then  "the  foundations  of  the  mountains"  are  said  "to  quake  and 
be  shaken,"  for  the  goods  of  love,  which  are  founded  upon  truths 
of  faith,  vanish;  "mountains"  meaning  the  goods  of  love  (as 
above),  and  their  "foundations"  truths  of  faith  ;  which  also  shows 
tl. at  the  "earth"  is  the  church.     [16.]    In  the  same, 


CHAP,   v.,   VKRSK  3. — N.  304[<:].  5I9 

"The  earth  is  Jehovah's  and  the  fulness  thereof,  the  world  and  they  that 
dwell  therein  ;  and  He  hath  founded  it  upon  the  seas,  He  hath 
established  it  upon  the  rivers"  {Psalm  xxiv.  i,  2). 

The  "  earth  "  and  the  "  world  "  stand  for  the  church,  and  "  fulness  " 
for  all  things  thereof;  the  "seas,"  upon  which  He  hath  founded  it, 
mean  knowledges  of  truth  in  general ;  the  "rivers"  do6lrinals  ;  be- 
cause the  church  is  founded  on  both  of  these,  it  is  said  that  "  He 
hath  founded  it  upon  the  seas,  and  established  it  upon  the  rivers." 
That  this  cannot  be  said  of  the  earth  and  the  world  is  clear  to 
any  one.     [17.]    In  the  same, 

"  We  will  not  fear,  when  the  earth  shall  be  changed,  and  when  the 
mountains  shall  be  moved  in  the  heart  of  the  seas,  when  the  waters 
thereof  shall  be  stirred  up  and  made  turbid.  .  . .  The  nations  were 
stirred  up,  the  kingdoms  are  moved,  when  He  uttered  His  voice 
the  earth  shall  melt "  {Psalm  xlvi.  2,  3,  6). 

The  "earth"  evidently  means  the  church,  since  it  is  said  "to  be 
changed"  and  "to  melt,"  also  that  "the  mountains  shall  be  moved 
in  the  heart  of  the  seas,  and  the  waters  thereof  shall  be  stirred  up," 
and  "the  nations  were  stirred  up  and  the  kingdoms  are  moved." 
*'  Mountains  "  signify  (as  above)  the  goods  of  love,  which  are  said 
"to  be  moved  in  the  heart  of  the  seas"  when  the  essential  know- 
ledges of  truth  are  perverted  ;  "waters"  signify  the  truths  of  the 
church,  which  are  said  "  to  be  made  turbid  "  when  they  are  falsified  ; 
"nations"  signify  the  goods  of  the  church,  and  in  a  contrary  sense, 
its  evils  ;  and  "  kingdoms  "  the  truths  of  the  church,  and  in  a  con- 
trary sense,  its  falsities  ;  also  those  who  are  in  the  one  or  the  other. 
[18.]    In  the  same, 

"  O  God,  Thou  hast  abandoned  us  ; . . .  Thou  hast  been  angry  ;  restore 
rest  to  us.  Thou  hast  made  the  earth  to  tremble.  Thou  hast  rent 
it ;  heal  the  breaches  thereof,  for  it  is  shaken  "  {Psalm  Ix.  i,  2). 

It  can  be  seen  that  these  things  are  said  of  the  church,  and  not  of 
the  earth,  for  it  is  said,  "Thou  hast  made  the  earth  to  tremble, 
Thou  hast  rent  it ;  heal  the  breaches  thereof,  for  it  is  shaken  ;" 
and  as  "the  earth"  signifies  the  church,  and  here  the  church 
vastated,  it  is  said,  "O  God,  Thou  hast  abandoned  us,  .  .  .  Thou 
hast  been  angry  ;  restore  rest  to  us."     [19.]    In  the  same, 

'  When  I  shall  take  the  set  time,  I  shall  judge  with  uprightness.  The  earth 
and  all  the  inhabitants  thereof  shall  melt ;  I  will  strengthen  the  pil- 
lars of  it "  {Psalm  Ixxv.  2,  3). 

Here,  likewise,  the  "earth"  stands  for  the  church,  which  is  said 
to  "melt"  when  the  truths  by  which  there  is  good  fail ;  truths,  be- 
cause they  support  the  church,  are  called  its  "pillars,"  which  God 


520  APOCALYPSE  EXPLAINED. 

will  Strengthen  ;  it  is  not  the  pillars  of  the  earth  evidently  that  are 
strengthened.  As  the  restoration  of  the  church  is  here  described, 
it  is  said,  "When  I  shall  take  the  set  time,  I  shall  judge  with  up- 
rightness." The  truths  of  the  church,  here  called  the  "pillars  of 
the  earth,"  are  also  called  the  "  pedestals  of  the  earth"  (i  Sam.  ii. 
8)  ;  and  the  "foundations  of  the  earth,"  in  Isaiah: 

"Do  ye  not  understand  the  foundations  of  the  earth?     It  is  He  that 

dwelleth  upon  the  circle  of  the  earth that  bringeth  the  princes 

to  nothing ;  and  maketh  the  judges  of  the  earth  as  emptiness  "  (xl. 

21-23). 

The  "princes,"  who  will  be  brought  to  nothing,  and  the  "judges  of 
the  earth,"  whom  He  will  make  as  emptiness,  signify  the  things  that 
are  from  self-intelligence  and  from  one's  own  judgment.  [20.]  In 
yeremiah : 

"A  tumult  Cometh  even  to  the  end  of  the  earth.  . . .  Thus  said  Jehovah, 
Behold,  evil  shall  go  forth  from  nation  to  nation,  and  a  great  tempest 
shall  be  stirred  up  from  the  sides  of  the  earth.  And  the  slain  of 
Jehovah  shall  be  in  that  day  from  the  end  of  the  earth  even  unto 
the  end  thereof"  (xxv.  31-33). 

The  "end  of  the  earth"  and  the  "sides  of  the  earth  "  signif}'  where 
the  outmosts  of  the  church  are,  and  where  evils  and  falsities  begin  ; 
and  "from  the  end  of  the  earth  to  the  end  thereof  signifies  all 
things  of  the  church  ;  from  this  it  can  be  known  what  is  signified 
by  "a  tumult  shall  come  to  the  end  of  the  earth,"  and  "a  great 
tempest  shall  be  stirred  up  from  the  sides  of  the  earth,"  also  by 
"  the  slain  of  Jehovah  in  that  day  shall  be  from  the  end  of  the 
earth  to  the  end  thereof"  The  "slain"  signify  those  in  whom  the- 
truths  and  goods  of  the  church  are  destroyed  (see  A.c.,w.  4503). 
[«!•]    [21.]   In  Isaiah: 

"  The  isles  saw,  they  feared  ;  the  ends  of  the  earth  trembled,  they  drew 

near,  and  came I  will  make  the  desert  into  a  pool  of  waters» 

and  the  dry  land  into  a  spring  of  waters  "  (xli.  5,  18). 

The  establishment  of  the  church  among  the  nations  is  thus  de- 
scribed;  they  are  signified  bv  the  "isles"  and  the  "ends  of  the 
earth;"  for  "isles"  and  "end^  of  the  earth"  in  the  Word  signify 
those  who  are  far  removed  from  the  truths  and  goods  of  the 
church  because  they  do  not  have  the  Word,  and  consequently, 
are  in  ignorance.  That  a  church  is  to  be  established  with  such 
is  signified  by  "  I  will  make  the  desert  into  a  pool  of  waters,  and 
the  dry  land  into  a  spring  of  waters."  That  is  called  a  "desert" 
where  there  is  not  yet  good  because  there  is  not  yet  truth,  and  for 
the  same  reason  it  is  called  "  dry  land."  A  "  pool  of  waters  "  and  a 
"sprint^  of  waters"  signify  good,  because  they  signify  truth;  for 


CHAP,   v.,   VERSE  3. — N.   304[flf].  521 

all  spiritual  good,  which  is  the  good  of  the  church,  is  acquired  by 
means  of  truths.     [22.]    In  the  same, 

"Woe  to  the  land  shadowed  with  wings,  which  is  beyond  the  rivers  of 

Cush Go,  ye  messengers, ...  to  a  nation  ....  trodden  down, 

whose  land  the  rivers  have  spoiled  "  (xviii.  i,  2). 

No  one  knows  what  is  meant  by  "a  land  shadowed  with  wings," 
and  "a  land  that  the  rivers  have  spoiled,"  unless  he  knows  that 
"land"  means  the  church,  and  "rivers"  falsities  ;  "a  land  shad- 
owed with  wings  "  is  a  church  that  is  in  thick  darkness  in  respe(5l 
to  Divine  truths  (that  these  are  signified  by  "wings,"  see  above, 
n.  283) ;  "beyond  the  rivers  of  Cush"  .signifies  in  respedl  to  know- 
ledges themselves  from  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word,  which 
have  been  falsified;  a  "nation  trodden  down,"  to  which  messen- 
gers should  go,  "whose  land  the  rivers  have  spoiled,"  signifies 
those  out  of  the  church  who  are  in  falsities  from  ignorance  ;  "  riv- 
ers" meaning  truths  of  do6lrine,  and  in  a  contrary  sense  falsities  ; 
that  "messengers  should  go  to  them"  signifies  that  they  should 
be  solicited  to  receive  the  church.     [23.]    In  the  same, 

"In  the  wrath  of  Jehovah  of  Hosts  the  land  is  darkened"  (ix.  19). 

A  "land  darkened"  signifies  the  things  of  the  church  in  thick 
darkness,  that  is,  in  falsities  ;  for  the  falsities  of  evil  are  said  to  be 
in  thick  darkness,  but  truths  in  light.     [24.]    In  the  same, 

"Jehovah  shall  remove  man,  and  deserts  shall  be  multiplied  in  the  midst 
of  the  land  "  (vi.  12) ; 

"  man,"  whom  Jehovah  shall  remove,  signifying  one  who  is  wise, 
and  abstra6lly,  wisdom  (as  may  be  seen  above,  n.  280)  ;  "  deserts 
multiplied  in  the  midst  of  the  land  "  signifying  that  there  shall  be 
no  good  at  all,  because  no  truth;  "midst  of  the  land"  meaning 
where  truth  should  be  in  the  greatest  light ;  consequently  when 
there  is  no  light  there  thick  darkness  pervades  the  whole;  thus 
there  is  nowhere  any  truth.     [25.]    In  the  same, 

Jehovah  "  shall  smite  the  earth  with  the  rod  of  His  mouth,  and  with  the 
breath  of  His  lips  shall  He  slay  the  wicked  "  (xi.  4). 

"The  rod  of  Jehovah's  mouth."  which  shall  smite  the  earth,  signi- 
fies truth  in  outmosts,  which  is  the  truth  of  the  .sense  of  the  letter 
of  the  Word  ;  "  the  breath  of  the  lips,"  which  shall  slay  the  wicked, 
signifies  truth  in  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word  ;  these  truths  are 
said  "to  smite  the  earth,"  and  "to  slay  the  wicked,"  when  sucli 
are  condemned  by  truths  ;  for  by  truths  every  one  is  judged  and 
i"  co'ider.ir.cd.     '25.1    In  the  same. 


52L'  Al'OCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

"The  earth  is  at  rest,  and  is  quiet HtU  .  .  .    hath  stirred  up  the 

Rephaim  because  of  thee,  all  the  powerful  of  the  earth They 

that  see  thee  ....  shall  say,  Is  this  the  man  that  m  Vi,th  the  earth, 
that  niaketh  the  kingdoms  to  tremble  ;  that  hath  made  the  world  a 
desert,  and  destroyed  the  cities  thereof?  ....  '1  hou  hast  destroyed 

thy  land,  thou  hast  slain  thy  people Prep"re  slaughter  for  his 

sons, ....  that  they  rise  not  up  and  possess  the  land,  ind  '.he  f-.ces 

of  the  land  be  filled  with  cities I  will  break  the  Assyrian  in 

my  land,  and  upon  my  mountains  will  tread  him  undei  f^ot"  (xiv. 
7,  g,  i6,  17,  20,  21,  25). 

These  things  ai"e  said  of  the  king  of  Babylon,  by  whom  is  signi- 
fied the  destru6lion  of  truth  by  the  lo\e  of  ruHng o^'er  heaven  and 
earth  ;  which  love  the  truths  of  the  Word  or  of  the  church  are 
made  to  serve  as  means  ;  here  the  damnation  of  such  is  treated  of. 
The  "  Rephaim,"  whom  hell  stirred  up,  mean  those  who  are  in  the 
direful  persuasion  of  what  is  false,  who  are  therefore  called  the 
powerful  of  the  earth  ;  "to  move  the  earth,"  "to  make  the  king- 
doms tremble,"  "to  make  the  world  into  a  desert,"  and  "destroy 
the  cities  thereof,"  signifies  to  pervert  all  things  of  the  church  ; 
"earth"  and  "world"  mean  the  church,  "kingdoms"  the  truths 
that  constitute  it;  and  "cities"  all  things  of  do6irine.  From  this 
it  is  clear  what  is  signified  by,  "  Thou  hast  destroyed  thy  land,  thou 
hast  slain  thy  people."  The  "Assyrian,"  who  shall  be  broken  in  the 
land  and  trodden  under  foot  upon  the  mountains,  signifies  reason- 
ing from  falsities  against  truths;  "to  be  broken"  means  to  be 
dispersed,  and  "to  be  trodden  under  foot"  means  to  be  wholly  de- 
stroyed ;  "mountains,"  upon  which  this  is  done,  signify  where  the 
good  of  love  and  charity  reigns,  for  there,  or  with  such,  all  reason- 
ing from  falsities  is  dispersed  or  destroyed.     [27.]    In  the  same, 

"  Howl,  ye  ships  of  Tarshish  ; from  the  land  of  Chittim  it  shall  come 

plainly  to  them Pass  through  thy  land  as  a  river,  O  daughter 

of  Tarshish;  the  girdle  is  no  more.    ,...    Behold  the  land  of  the 

Chaldeans; Assyria  hath  founded  i.  into  heaps Jehovah 

will  visit  Tyre,  that  she  may  return  tc  the  hire  of  whoredom  and 
commit  whoredom  with  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth  upon  the 
faces  of  the  world"  (xxiii.  i,  10,  13,  17). 

Neither  ships  of  Tarshish,  nor  Tyre,  nor  the  land  of  Chittim, 
nor  the  land  of  the  Chaldeans,  nor  Assyria,  are  here  meant, 
as  can  be  seen  from  the  particulars  in  this  chapter;  but  "ships 
of  Tarshish"  mean  knowledges  of  truth  and  good,  "Tyre"  the 
same;  "the  land  of  Chittim  "  what  is  idolatrous;  "the  land  of 
the  Chaldeans"  profanation  and  destru6fion  of  truth,  and  "As- 
syria" reasoning  from  falsities.  From  this  it  is  clear  that,  "  Howl, 
ye  ships  of  Tarshish,  for  Tyre  is  laid  waste,"  signifies  that  there 
w^ere  no  longer  any  knowledges  of  truth;  "from  the  land  of 
Chittim  it  shall  coir.e   plainly  to  them"  signifies  idolatry  there- 


CHAP,   v.,   VERSE  3.— N.   304[fl^].  523 

from  ;  "the  girdle  is  no  more"  signifies  that  there  is  no  longer 
a  coherence  of  truth  with  good  ;  "  behold  the  land  of  the  Chal- 
deans" signifies  that  thus  there  is  profanation  and  destruction 
of  truth;  "Assyria  hath  founded  it  into  heaps"  signifies  that 
reasoning  from  falsities  has  destroyed  it;  "to  return  to  the  hire  of 
whoredom,"  and  "to  commit  whoredom  with  all  kingdoms  upon 
the  faces  of  the  world,"  signifies  falsification  of  all  truths  of  the 
whole  church.     [28.]    In  the  same, 

"  The  king  of  Assyria  shall  go  through  Judah,  he  shall  overflow  and  pass 
through,  he  shall  reach  even  to  the  neck  ;  and  the  flappings  of  his 
wings  shall  be  the  fulness  of  breadth  of  thy  land,  O  Immanuel" 

(viii'.  8) 

Here,  too,  "king  of  Assyria"  signifies  reasoning  from  falsities 
against  truths  ;  "he  shall  go  through  Judah,  he  shall  overflow  and 
pass  through,"  signifies  that  this  shall  destroy  the  good  of  the 
church  ("to  overflow"  is  predicated  of  falsities,  because  they  are 
signified  by  " waters ")  ;  "he  shall  reach  even  to  the  neck "  signifies 
that  thus  there  shall  be  no  longer  any  participation  in  good  and 
truth  ;  and  "  the  flappings  of  his  wings  shall  be  the  fulness  of  breadth 
of  thy  land,  O  Immanuel,"  signifies  that  there  shall  be  falsities 
opposed  to  all  truths  of  the  Lord's  church  ;  "  breadth  of  the  land  * 
signifies  truths  of  the  church  (see  Heaven  and  Nell,  n.  197),  conse- 
quently, in  a  contrary  sense,  falsities;  therefore  "flappings  of  his 
wings"  signify  reasonings  from  falsities  against  truths  ;  "fulness" 
signifies  all ;  thus  "the  fulness  of  breadth  of  the  land"  signifies  all 
truths  of  the  church.     [2&.]    In  the  same, 

"  In  that  day  shall  the  shoot  of  Jehovah  be  for  beauty  and  glory,  -«.nd 
the  fruit  of  the  earth  for  magnificence  and  decoration  t:  those  left 
of  Israel  "  (iv.  2). 

The  "shoot  of  Jehovah,"  that  shall  be  for  beauty  and  glory,  sig- 
nifies the  truth  of  the  church;  and  the  "fruit  of  the  earth,"  that 
shall  be  for  magnificence  and  decoration,  signifies  the  good  of  the 
church;  "Israel"  signifies  the  spiritual  church.  Evidently  it  is 
the  truth  and  good  of  the  church,  and  not  the  shoot  and  the  fruit 
of  the  earth,  that  shall  be  for  beauty,  glory,  magnificence,  and 
decoration.  When  it  is  said  /he  truth  and  good  of  the  church,  the 
truth  of  faith  and  the  good  of  love  are  meant,  for  all  truth  is  of 
faith,  and  all  good  is  of  love.     [30.]    In  the  same, 

"  Thou  hast  increased  the  nation,  O  Jehovah  ;  Thou  hast  been  glorified  ; 
Thou  hast  rem: ved  all  the  ends  of  the  earth  '  (xxvi.  I5)< 

The  "nation  that  Jehovah. has  increased,"  signifies  those  who  are 
in  good  of  love,  whom  He  has  claimed  to  Himself;    "the  ends. 


524  APOCALVl'SK    KXl'I.AIXKI). 

of  the  earth  which  He  has  removed,"  signify  the  falsities  and  vvlls 

that  infest  the  church,  from  which  He  has  purified  them.    [31.]    In 

the  same, 

"Thine  eyes  shall  see  the  king  in  his  beauty,  they  shall  behold  a  land 
of  wide  extent"  (xxxiii.  17). 

*'  To  see  the  king  in  his  beauty,"  means  to  see  genuine  truth,  which 

is  from  the  Lord  alone  ;  "to  behold  a  land  of  wide  extent "  signifies 

to   behold  the  extension  of  intelligence  and  wisdom.      [32.]    In 

the  same, 

"  I  have  given  thee  for  a  covenant  of  the  people,  to  restore  the  earth. 
Sing  O  heavens,  and  rejoice  O  earth,  and  resound  O  mountains 
with  a  song"  (xlix.  8,  13). 

This  treats  of  the  Lord  and  His  coming ;  the  establishment  of  the 
church  by  Him  is  described  by,  "I  have  given  thee  for  a  covenant 
of  the  people,  to  restore  the  earth,"  "to  restore  the  earth"  mean- 
ing to  re-establish  the  church  ;  it  is  known  that  the  Lord  did  not 
restore  the  earth  to  the  Jewish  people,  but  that  He  established  a 
church  among  the  nations ;  the  joy  in  consequence  is  described 
by,  "Sing  O  heavens,  rejoice  O  earth,  and  resound  O  moun- 
tains with  a  song,"  "the  heavens"  meaning  the  heavens  where 
angels  are  who  are  in  the  interior  truths  of  the  church,  "the 
earth"  the  church  among  men,  and  the  "mountains"  those  who 
are  in  good  of  love  to  the  Lord, 
[c]    [33.]   In  yeremiah : 

"The  land  is  full  of  adulterers  ;  for  because  of  cursing  the  land  mourn- 
eth  ;  the  pastures  of  the  desert  are  dried  up"  (xxiii.  10). 

"  Adulterers  "  signify  those  who  adulterate  the  goods  of  the  church  ; 
therefore  it  is  said,  "the  land  is  full  of  adulterers,  and  because  of 
the  curse  the  land  mourneth  ;"  the  "pastures  of  the  desert,"  that 
are  dried  up,  signify  no  spiritual  nourishment  in  such  a  church  ; 
that  is  called  "desert"  where  there  is  no  good  because  there  is  no 
truth.     [34.]    In  the  same, 

"  A  drought  is  upon  her  waters,  so  that  they  shall  become  dry  ;  for  it  is 
a  land  of  graven  images  "  (1.  38). 

"A  drought  upon  the  waters,  so  that  they  shall  become  dry,"  sig- 
nifies that  truths  no  longer  exist,  "waters"  meaning  truths;  "for 
it  is  a  land  of  graven  images"  signifies  the  church  destroyed  by 
falsities  which  are  from  self-intelligence,  which  they  call  truths, 
"graven  images"  signifying  those  falsities.     [35.]    In  Ezekiel : 

"  The  end  cometh  upon  the  four  quarters  of  the  earth  ;  .  . . .  for  the  earth 
is  full  of  the  judgment  of  bloods,  and  the  city  is  full  of  violence  " 

(vii.  2,  23). 


CHAP.  \.,  \i-Kb£  3.— A.  3<HL'J-  5^5 

^'Thc  end  cometh  upon  the  four  quarters  of  the  tarth,"  signifies 
the  last  time  and  the  last  state  of  the  church,  which  is  its  end,  tlie 
four  quarters  meaning  all  truths  and  goods  of  the  church,  and  in 
a  contrary  sense,  all  its  falsities  and  evils,  thus  all  things  of  the 
church.  "The  earth  full  of  the  judgment  of  bloods"  signifies  that 
it  is  filled  with  evils  of  every  kind,  "  bloods  "  meaning  the  evils  that 
offer  violence  to  goods  of  love  and  charity  and  wholly  destroy 
them;  "the  city  full  of  violence"  signifies  the  doctrine  of  that 
church  likewise  offering  violence.     [36.]    In  the  same, 

"All  the  luminaries  of  light  in  heaven  will  I  make  dark  over  thee,  and 
will  set  darkness  upon  thy  land"  (xxxii.  8). 

"The  luminaries  of  light  in  the  heavens"  mean  the  sun,  moon, and 
stars;  the  "sun"  signifying  love,  the  "moon"  faith  therefrom, 
and  the  "stars"  knowledges  of  good  and  truth:  from  this  it  is 
clear  what  is  signified  by  "  I  will  make  them  dark  over  thee," 
namely,  that  these  no  longer  exist ;  also  it  is  clear  what  is  signi- 
fied by  "  I  will  set  darkness  upon  thy  land,"  namely,  that  there  will 
be  falsities  in  the  church,  "  darkness  "  meaning  falsities,  and  "  land  " 
the  church.     [37.]    In  the  same, 

"Prophesy  concernine;  the  land  of  Israel,  and  say  unto  the  mountains 
and  to  the  hills  and  to  the  watercourses  and  to  the  valleys, .  . .  Be- 
hold, I  am  with  you,  and  I  will  look  back  unto  you  that  ye  may  be 
tilled  and  sown  "  (xxxvL  6,  9). 

"The  land  of  Israel"  means  the  church  ;  "mountains,  hills,  water- 
courses, and  valleys."  signify  all  things  of  the  church  from  the  first 
to  the  last  things  thereof,  "mountains"  are  goods  of  love  to  the 
Lord,  "  hills  "  goods  of  charity  towards  the  neighbor,  these  are  the 
first  things  of  the  church  ;  "watercourses  and  valleys"  are  truths 
and  goods  that  are  the  last  things  of  the  church.  That  this  is  the 
meaning  can  be  seen  from  what  was  said  at  the  beginning  of  this 
article,  namely,  that  those  in  heaven  who  are  in  the  good  of  love 
to  the  Lord  dwell  upon  mountains,  those  who  are  in  charity  to- 
wards the  neighbor  upon  hills,  and  those  who  are  in  goods  and 
truths  in  the  lowest  heaven  in  plains  and  valleys  ;  "  rivers  "  are  truths 
of  do(5i:rine  there  ;  to  implant  these  is  signified  by  "I  will  look 
back  unto  you  that  ye  may  be  tilled  and  sown."    [38.]    In  Hosea  : 

"  In  that  day  ....  I  will  hear  the  heavens,  and  they  shall  hear  the  earth ; 
and  the  earth  shall  hear  the  corn  and  the  new  wine  and  the  oil,  and 
these  shall  hear  Jezreel ;  and  I  will  sow  her  unto  me  in  the  earth" 

(ii.  21-23). 

Evidently  these  things  are  to  be  understood  spiritually,  and  not 
naturallv  according  to  the  sense  of  the  letter,  for  it  is  said  that 


526  APOCALYPSE   EXPI.AINKD. 

"  these  shall  hear  Jezreel ;  and  I  will  sow  her  unto  me  in  the  earth; " 
therefore  the  "heavens"  mean  the  heavens  where  the  Lord  is  ;  and 
the  "earth"  the  church  where  also  the  Lord  is ;  "corn,  new  wine, 
and  oil,"  signify  all  things  of  spiritual  nourishment,  which  are 
goods  of  love  and  charity  and  truths  of  faith.     139.J    In  Malachi: 

"He  shall  not  destroy  for  you  the  fruit  of  the  earth,  neither  shall  the 
vine  in  the  field  be  barren  to  you  ; ....  all  nations  shall  proclaim 
you  happy,  and  ye  shall  be  a  land  of  good  pleasure"  (iii.  ii,  12). 

These  things  are  said  of  those  with  whom  and  in  w  horn  is  the 
church  ;  and  because  "  the  fruit  of  the  earth,"  and  "the  vine  of  the 
field,"  signify  goods  and  truths  of  the  church  ("fruit"  goods,  and 
"vine"  its  truths),  they  are  called  "a  land  of  good  pleasure." 
[40.]    In  David  : 

"  Let  Thy  good  Spirit  lead  me  into  the  land  of  uprightness  ;  revive  me 
O  Jehovah,  for  Thy  name's  sake"  {Psalm  cxliii.  10,  11). 

"The  land  of  uprightness "  stands  for  the  church  in  which  is  the 
right  and  the  true;  and  because  "the  spirit  of  Jehovah"  signifies 
Divine  truth,  and  every  one  receives  spiritual  life  through  that,  it  is 
said,  "  Let  Thy  good  Spirit  lead  me,"  and  "  revive  me,  O  Jehovah." 
[41.]  As  the  "  earth"  signifies  the  church,  and  where  the  church  is 
there  is  heaven,  heaven  is  called  "  the  land  of  the  living,"  and  "the 
land  of  life  ;"  "  the  land  of  the  living"  in  Isaiah  • 

"  I  said,  I  shall  not  see  Jah  in  the  land  of  the  living"  (xxxviii.  11) ; 

and  in  Ezekiel : 

"Who  caused  terror  in  the  land  of  the  living"  (xxxii.  23-27). 

"The  land  of  life"  in  David  : 

"  Unless  I  had  believed  to  see  good  ...  in  the  land  of  life  "  {Psalm  xxviL 
13). 
[42.]    In  Moses  : 

"The  stone  shall  be  whole  and  just,  the  ephah  shall  be  whole  and  just», 
that  thy  days  may  be  prolonged  upon  the  earth"  {Deut.  xxv.  15). 

"Days  to  be  prolonged  upon  the  earth"  does  not  mean  a  length- 
ening of  life  in  the  world,  but  the  state  of  life  in  the  church,  thus  la 
heaven;  for  "to  be  prolonged"  is  predicated  of  good  and  its  in- 
crease, and  "day"  signifies  state  of  life;  and  as  "a  stone  whole 
and  just,"  which  was  a  weight,  and  "an  ephah  whole  and  just," 
which  was  a  measure,  signify  truth  and  good  and  their  quality,  and 
both  together  signify  justice,  "stone"  signifying  truth,  and  "meas- 
ure" good,  and  as  not  to  deceive  by  weight  and  measure  is  to  be 
just,  therefore  such  shall  have  the  life  of  the  church  and  afterwards 
life  in  heaven,  which  is  meant  by  "their  days  upon  the  earth  shall 
be  prolonged."     [43.]    The  same  is  signified  by  this  precept  ia 


CHAP,  v.,  VERSE    3.— N.   3"4r/]  527 

the  Decalogue : 

"  Honor  thy  father  and  thy  mother,  that  thy  days  may  !;c  prolonged  upon 
the  earth"  {Exod.  xx.  12). 

Those  who  honor  father  and  mother  have  heaven  and  the  liai)pi- 
ness  there,  because  in  hea\'en  no  other  father  but  the  Lord  is 
known,  for  all  tliere  have  been  generated  anew  from  Him  ;  and  in 
heaven  by  "mother"  the  church  is  meant,  and  in  general,  the 
kingdom  of  the  Lord.  It  is  clear  that  those  who  worship  the  Lord 
and  seek  His  kingdom  will  have  life  in  heaven,  also  that  many 
of  those  who  honor  father  and  mother  in  the  world  do  not  live 
there  long.     [44.]    In  Matthac: 

"  Blessed  are  the  meek,  for  they  shall  inherit  the  earth  "  (v.  5). 

"Inheriting  the  earth"  signities  not  possession  of  the  earth,  but 
possession  of  heaven  and  its  blessedness  ;  the  "  meek  "  mean  those 
who  are  in  the  good  of  charit}\     [45.]    In  Isaiah  : 

"Behold,  a  virgin  shall  conceive,  and  bear  a  Son,  and  shall  call  His 
name  God-with-us  :  butter  and  honey  shall  He  eat,  that  He  may 
know  to  re-Use  the  evil  and  to  choose  the  good  ;  for  before  the  child 
knoweth  to  refuse  the  evil  and  to  choose  the  good,  the  land  which 
thou  scornest  in  the  presence  of  her  two  kings  shall  be  forsaken. 
....  Iv  shall  come  to  pass  in  that  day, ....  by  reason  of  the  abund- 
ance of  milk,  He  shall  eat  butter  ;  for  butter  and  honey  shall  every 
one  eat  that  is  left  in  the  midst  of  the  land"  (vii.  14-16,  21,  22). 

It  is  known  that  these  things  were  said  respe6ting  the  Lord  and 
His  coming  ;  "  butter  and  honey,"  which  He  shall  eat,  signify  goods 
of  love  ;  "butter"  good  of  celestial  and  spiritual  love,  "honey" 
good  of  natural  love ;  this  means  that  He  would  appropriate  the 
Divine  to  Himself  even  in  respe6l  to  the  Human  ;  "to  eat"  signi- 
fying to  appropriate.  That  "  the  land  shall  be  forsaken  before 
He  knoweth  to  refuse  the  evil  and  to  choose  the  good  "  signifies 
that  when  He  is  born  there  would  not  be  anything  of  the  church 
remaining  in  the  whole  world  ;  and  because  those  where  the  church 
was  rejected  every  Divine  truth  and  perverted  all  things  of  the 
Word,  and  explained  it  in  favor  of  self,  it  is  said  of  the  land,  that 
is,  the  church,  "  which  thou  scornest  in  the  presence  of  her  two 
kings  ;"  "  king"  signifying  the  truths  of  heaven  and  of  the  church  ; 
"two  kings"  the  truth  of  the  Word  in  the  internal  or  spiritual 
sense,  and  the  truth  of  the  Word  in  the  external  or  natural  sense. 
"  Milk  "  signifies  truth  through  which  good  comes,  and  as  "  butter" 
signifies  the  good  therefrom,  "by  reason  of  the  abundance  of  giv- 
ing milk,  ....  butter  shall  every  one  eat  that  is  left  in  the  midst  of 
the  land,"  signifies  that  every  truth  shall  be  from  good. 
[/".]    [46.]  In  Matthezv  : 

In  the  consummation  of  the  age,  "all  the  tribes  of  the  earth  shall  mourn  {_ 
(xxiv.  30). 


528  Af'ocALvi'SK  i;xp[..\i\i;i). 

•' The  consummation  of  the  age"  whicli  is  treated  of  in  that  chapter, 
is  the  last  time  of  the  church,  when  jiulj^inent  takes  j)lace  ;  "all  the 
triijes  of  the  earth  "  sioiiily  all  truths  and  j^oods  of  the  church,  which 
are  said  "to  mourn"  when  they  are  no  more.     [47.1    In  I.ukc: 

"Then  shall  there  be  si.ijns  in  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars  ;  and  upon  the 
earth  distress  of  nations, ....  the  sea  and  the  waves  roaring  ;  men 
panic-struck  for  fear  and  for  expectation  of  the  things  coming  ui)on 
the  whi  le  earth  ;  for  the  powers  of  the  heavens  shall  be  shaken." 
That  day  "as  a  snare  shall  come  upon  all  that  dwell  upon  the  face 
of  the  whole  earth  "  (xxi.  25,  26,  35). 

This  also  treats  of  the  last  time  of  the  church,  when  judgment  takes 
'  '  ice,  and  the  "earth"  and  the  "world"  here  mean  the  church. 
*  The  distress  of  nations  upon  the  earth,"  "the  fear  and  expe6l- 
ation  of  the  things  coming  upon  the  earth,  and  upon  all  who 
dwell  upon  the  face  of  the  whole  earth,"  signifies  upon  those  who 
are  in  the  spiritual  world,  not  upon  those  who  are  in  the  countries 

i:i  the  natVU'al  world.  (  I'hat  there  are  lands  in  the  spiritual  world  also,  see  what 
is  said  at  the  beginning  of  tliis  article  ;  and  that  the  last  judgment  was  accomplisheil 

there,  see  Last  ymiifme»/.)  It  has  been  told  before  what "  sun,"  ''  moon," 
and  "stars,"  signify,  in  which  are  signs,  namely,  that  "sun"  sig- 
nifies love,  "moon"  faith  therefrom,  and  "stars"  knowledges  of 
good  and  truth  ,  the  "sea  and  waves  roaring"  signify  reasonings 
and  assaults  of  truth  from  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word, 
wrongly  and  perxersely  applied.  The  "powers  of  the  heavens," 
that  shall  be  shaken,  signify  the  Word  in  the  sense  of  the  letter, 
since  this  sense  is  the  foundation  of  the  spiritual  truths  that  are  in 

the  heavens.  (See  Heaven  and  Hell,  in  tlie  article  that  treats  of  The  Conjuncflion 
of  Heaven  with  Man  by  the  Word,  n.  303-510.)       [48.]     In  Isaiah  : 

"Sing,  ye  heavens  ;  . , . .  shout,  ye  lower  parts  of  the  earth  ;  resound  with 
singing,  ye  mountains,  O  forest  and  every  tree  therein  ;  for  Jeho- 
vah hath  redeemed  Jacob I  am  Jehovah,  that  maketh  all  things; ; 

that  stretchest  forth  the  heavens  alone;  that  spreadeth  abroad  the 
earth  by  Myself"  (xliv.  23,  24). 

"  Sing,  ye  heavens  .....  shout,  ye  lower  parts  of  the  earth  ;  resound 
with  singing,  ye  mountains,  O  forest  and  every  tree  therein,"  sig- 
nifies all  things  of  heaven  and  of  the  chufch,  both  internal  and  ex- 
ternal, all  of  which  ha\e  reference  tb  good  and  to  truth.  Things 
internal  are  signified  by  "heavens,"  things  external  by  "lower 
parts  of  the  earth  ;"  "  mountains "  mean  good  of  love,  the  "forest " 
means  natural  truth,  and  the  "trees"  therein  mean  knowledges  of 
truth.  Because  such  things  are  signified,  it  is  said,  "for  Jehovah 
hath  redeemed  Jacob,"  "Jacob"  in  the  Word  signifying  the  ex- 
ternal church,  and  "  Israel "  the  internal  church.  "  To  stretch  forth 
the  heavens,"  and  "to  spread  abroad  the  earth,"  signifies  the 
church  on  all  sides,  which  is  stretched  forth  and  spread  abroad  by 


CHAP,    v.,   VERSE    3. — X.    304[/].  5J9 

the  multiplication  of  truth  and  the  fru6lification  of  good,  with  those 
who  are  of  the  church.     [49.1    In  Zechariah  : 

"  Jehovah  spreadeth  abroad  the  heavens,  and  foundeth  the  earth,  and 
fornieth  tlie  spirit  of  man  in  llie  midst  of  him  "  (xii.  i). 

Here,  too,  "heavens"  and  "earth"  signify  the  church  on  all  sides, 
thus  in  respe6l  to  its  interiors  and  exteriors  ;  therefore  it  is  added, 
"formeth  the  spirit  of  man  in  the  midst  of  him."  [50.]  In  Jerc- 
ntiah  : 

"  The  gods  that  have  not  made  the  heaven  and  the  earth,  let  them  per- 
ish from  the  earth  and  from  under  the  heavens."  Jehovah  "  mak- 
eth  the  earth  by  His  power,  prepareth  the  world  by  His  wisdom, 
and  spreadeth  abroad  the  heavens  by  His  intelligence.  At  the 
voic2  which  Fie  uttereth  there  is  a  multitude  of  waters  in  the  heav- 
ens, and  He  causeth  the  vapors  to  ascend  from  the  end  of  the 
earth"  (x.  11-13  ;  li.  15, 16). 

Because  the  "heavens"  and  the  "earth"  signify  the  church  (as 
above),  it  is  said,  "Jehovah  maketh  the  earth  by  His  power,  pre- 
pareth the  world  by  His  wisdom,  and  spreadeth  abroad  the  heavens 
by  His  intelligence  ;"  and  also  it  is  said,  "  At  the  voice  which  He 
uttereth  there  is  a  multitude  of  waters  in  the  heavens,  and  He 
causeth  the  vapors  to  ascend  from  the  end  of  the  earth."  "The 
voice  that  Jehovah  utters"  signifies  Divine  truth  going  forth 
from  Him  ;  the  "  multitude  of  waters  in  the  heavens "  signifies 
truths  in  abundance,  for  "waters"  signify  truths;  and  "the  va- 
pors that  He  causeth  to  ascend  from  the  end  of  the  earth  "  signify 
the  outmost  truths  of  the  church,  "  vapors  "  are  those  truths,  and 
"the  end  of  the  earth"  is  the  outmost  of  the  church;  and  as 
'gods"  signify  falsities  of  do6lrine  and  of  worship,  which  destroy 
the  church,  it  is  said,  "The  gods  that  have  not  made  the  heaven 
and  the  earth,  let  them  perish  from  the  earth  and  from  under  the 
heavens."     [51.]    In  David, 

Jehovah,  "who  by  intelligence  maketh  the  heavens, and  stretcheth 

out  the  earth  above  the  waters"  {Fsa/m  cxxxvi.  5,  6). 

Because  "heaven"  and  "earth"  signify  the  church,  and  the  church 
is  formed  by  truths,  and  the  truths  of  the  church  constitute  in- 
telligence, it  is  said,  "Jehovah  maketh  the  heavens  by  intelligence, 
and  stretcheth  forth  the  earth  above  the  waters,"  "waters"  mean- 
ing the  truths  of  the  church.     [52.]    In  Isaiah: 

"  Thus  saith  Jehovah  God,  that  createth  the  heavens,  and  stretcheth  them 
out,  that  spreadeth  forth  the  earth  and  the  produ(fts  thereof,  that 
giveth  breath  to  the  people  upon  it,  and  spirit  to  them  that  walk 
therein"  (xlii.  5). 

"To  create  the  heavens"  and  "to  si^read  forth  the  earth  and  the 


530  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

produ6ts  thereof,"  signifies  to  form  the  church  and  to  reform  those 
who  are  in  it,  "  products  "  meaning  all  things  of  the  church  ;  there- 
fore it  is  said,  "that  giveth  breath  to  the  people  upon  it,  and  spirit 
to  them  that  walk  therein."  That  "to  create"  is  to  reform,  see 
above  (n.  294).    [53.]    In  the  same, 

"  Drop  down,  ye  heavens,  from  above,  and  let  the  clouds  flow  down  with 
righteousness  ;  let  the  earth  open,  and  bring  forth  the  fruit  of  salva- 
tion     I  have  made  the  earth,  and  created  man  upon  it 

Thus  said  Jehovah  who  created  the  heavens  ;  God  Himself  who 
formeth  the  earth  and  maketh  it  and  prepareth  it : ....  1  have  not 
spoken  in  secret,  in  a  place  of  the  land  of  darkness"  (xlv.  8,  12, 
18,  19). 

"Heavens  "  and  "  earth  "  here  plainly  mean  all  things  of  the  church, 
both  its  internals  and  externals  ;  for  it  is  said,  "  Distil,  ye  heavens, 
and  let  the  clouds  flow  down  with  righteousness ;  let  the  earth  open,, 
and  bring  forth  the  fruit  of  salvation.''  "Heavens"  signify  the 
interiors  of  the  church,  because  the  interiors  that  are  of  man's 
spiritual  mind  are  tne  neavens  with  him.     (That  with  the  man  with  whor» 

the  church  is  there  is  a  heaven,  see  Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  30-57.)      "  To  create 

the  heavens  and  to  form  the  earth,  and  make  and  prepare  it,"  sig- 
nifies to  establish  the  church  fully.     [54.]    In  the  same, 

"  Behold,  I  create  new  heavens  and  a  new  earth,  and  the  former  shall 
not  be  remembered"  (Ixv.  17). 

"  To  create  new  heavens  and  a  new  earth  "  signifies  to  establish  a 
new  church  in  respe6l  to  its  interiors  and  exteriors,  both  in  the 
heavens  and  on  earth  (as  was  said  above).     [55.]   In  the  same, 

"  Who  hath  heard  a  thing  like  this?.  .  .  .shall  the  earth  bring  forth  in  one 
day  ?  shall  a  nation  be  begotten  at  once  ?  .  . .  .  For  as  the  new  heav-^ 
ens  and  the  new  earth  which  I  am  about  to  make  shall  stand  before 
Me,.  . .  .so  shall  your  seed  and  your  name  stand"  (Ixvi.  8,  22). 

Because  the  "earth"  signifies  the  church,  it  is  said,  "shall  the 
earth  bring  forth  in  one  day?  shall  a  nation  be  begotten  at  once?" 
"To  bring  forth,"  and  "birth,"  and  "to  beget,"  and  "begetting," 
in  the  Woid,  signify  spiritual  birth  and  begetting,  whicli  are  of 
faith  and  love,  thus  reformation  and  regeneration.  What  "new 
heavens"  and  "new  earth"  signify  has  been  told  above.  [56.]  In 
Jeremiah  : 

"I  have  made  the  earth,  man  and  beast  that  are  upon  the  faces  of  th  ■ 
earth and  I  give  it  to  him  who  is  right  in  My  eyes  '  (xxvii.  5). 

"  Man  and  beast  that  are  upon  the  faces  of  the  earth  "  signify  affec- 
tions for  truth  and  good  in  the  spiritual  and  the  natural  man  (see 
n.  28o[^] ;  and  A.C.,  n.  7424,  7523,  7872)  ;  and  since  these  affecflions  with 
men  constitute  the  church  in  them  it  is  said,  "  I  have  made  the 

•^  u 


CHAP,    v.,   VERSE    3.— N.   ^OJ^l^i;].  53 1 

earth,  man  and  beast  that  are  upon  the  faces  of  the  earth, ....  and 
I  give  it  to  him  who  is  right  in  My  eyes."  Every  one  knows  that 
God  reives  the  earth  not  alone  to  those  who  are  right  in  His  eyes, 
but  also  to  those  who  are  not  right,  while  the  church  He  gi\-es  to 
those  only  who  are  right ;  "  right  "signifying  truth  and  affe6tion  for 
it. 

[§•.]    [57.]    In  Isaiah: 

"  The  heavens  shall  vanish  away  like  smoke,  and  the  earth  shall  wax  old 
like  a  garment,  and  the  dwellers  therein  shall  die  in  like  manner" 
(li.  6). 

The  "heavens  "  that  shall  vanish  away,  and  the  "earth"  that  shall 
wax  old  like  a  garment,  signify  the  church  ;  this  step  by  step  falls, 
and  at  length  is  desolated  ;  but  not  so  the  visible  heaven  and  the 
habitable  earth  ;  therefore  it  is  said,  "and  the  dwellers  therein  shall 
die  in  like  manner,"  "to  die"  signifying  to  die  spiritually. 

"  The  heavens  and  earth  shall  pass  away  "  {Matt.  xxiv.  35  ;  Mark  xiii.  31 ; 
Luke  xvi.  17)  ; 

Has  a  like  signification.     [58.]    In  the  Apocalypse  : 

"  Four  angels  standing  upon  the  four  corners  of  the  earth,  holding  the 
four  winds  of  the  earth,  that  the  wind  should  not  blow  upon  the 
earth  "  (vii.  i). 

"The  four  corners  of  the  earth,"  and  "the  four  winds  of  the  earth," 
signify  all  truths  and  goods  of  the  church  in  the  complex  ;  for 
they  have  the  same  signification  as  the  four  quarters  of  heaven 

(that  these  have  this  signification,  see  Heaven  and  Hell,  On  the  Four  Quarters  in 

Heaven,  n.  141-153).  To  "hold"  the  four  winds,  signifies  that  truths 
and  goods  do  not  flow  in  because  they  are  not  received  ;  therefore 
it  is  said  that  "the  wind  should  not  blow  upon  the  earth."  "The 
earth"  signifies  the  church  elsewhere  in  the  Apocalypse, 

(as  x.  2,  5,  6,  8  ;  xii.  16  ;  xiii.  15  ;  xvi.  2,  14 ;  xx.  8,  9.  11  ;  xxi.  i), 

as  well  as  in  many  other  places  in  the  Word,  too  numerous  to  be 
cited.  [CO.]  As  the  church  was  signified  by  the  "earth,"  and 
especially  by  the  "land  of  Canaan,"  because  the  church  was  there, 
and  as  the  church  which  was  there  was  a  representative  church, 
so  all  things  there  were  representative,  and  all  that  was  said  to 
them  by  the  Lord  signified  the  spiritual  or  interior  things  of  the 
church,  and  this  even  to  the  land  itself  and  its  produces;  as  in 
these  words  in  Moses  : 

If  thou  wilt  keep  the  commandments,  "Jehovah  will  lead  thee  into  a 
good  land,  into  a  land  of  rivers  of  waters,  of  fountains,  of  depths 
springing  out  of  valley  and  mountain  ;  a  land  of  wheat,  of  barley, 
of  vine,  of  fig,  of  pomegranate  ;  a  land  of  the  olive,  of  oil,  of  honey ; 

3    U^ 


532  Al'OCALYPSE    EXIM.AINED. 

a  land  where  thou  shah  cat  bread  without  scarceness;  It  shall  lack 
nothing  ;  a  land  where  the  stones  are  iron  nndou'  of  the  mountains 
is  digged  copper  ;  and  thou  shall  eat,  and  shall  be  satisfied  In  this 
good  land  "  (A///,  viii.  6-10). 

This  is  a  desci'iption  of  all  thinirs  of  the  church,  both  its  interiors 
and  its  exteriors  ;  but  to  explain  what  each  particuiar  dignities 
would  be  tedious  and  not  to  the  present  purpose.  [60.]  Because 
the  "land"  signifies  the  church  it  Mas  among  the  blessings  that  if 
they  lived  according  to  the  commandments, 

The  land  would  yield  its  increase,  ^vi\  beasts  would  cease  out  of  the  land, 
nor  would  the  sword  pasc  through  the  land  (Lev.  xxvi.  3,  4,  6). 

That  "the  land  would  yield  its  increase"  signifies  that  there  would 
be  good  and  truth  in  the  church  ;  that  "evil  beasts  would  cease" 
signifies  that  there  would  not  be  evil  afifeclions  and  lusts,  which 
destroy  the  church  ;  that  "  the  sword  would  not  pass  through  the 
land"  signifies  that  falsity  would  not  cast  out  truth.  [61.]  Again, 
as  the  "land"  signifies  the  church,  it  was  commanded  that 

The  seventh  year  should  be  kept  as  a  Sabbath  of  the  land,  and  that  there 
should  be  no  labor  upon  it  {Lev.  xxv   1-8), 

it  IS  therefore  said  also  that 

The  land  was  defiled  on  account  of  their  evils,  and  «ould  vomit  them 
out  because  of  their  abominations  {Le?'.  xviii.  25-28), 

Becau.4e  the  "  land  (or  ground)  "  signified  the  church, 

The  Lord  spat  on  the  ground,  and  made  mud  of  the  spittle,  and  anointed 
the  eyes  of  the  blind  man,  and  said,  "Go  wash  thee  in  the  pool  of 

Siloam  "  {John  ix.  6,  7,  ir,  15); 
So  the  Lord,  when  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  questioned  Him  respecfling 
the  woman  taken  in  adultery,  stooping  down,  wrote  twice  on  the 
ground  (John  viii.  6,  8) ; 

which  signified  that  the  church  was  full  of  adulteries,  that  is,  full  of 

adulteration  of  good  and  falsification  of  truth  ;  therefore  the  Lord 

said  to  them, 

"  He  that  is  without  sin  among  you,  let  him  first  cast  a  stone  at  her  ; . . . . 
but  they  went  out  one  by  one,  beginning  from  the  elders,  even  unto 
the  last "  (verses  7,  9). 

[62.]  As  most  things  in  the  Word  have  also  a  contrary  sense,  so 
has  the  "earth,"  which  in  that  sense  signifies  the  church  vastated  ; 
it  is  vastated  when  good  of  love  and  truth  of  faith  no  longer  exist, 
but  instead  thereof  evil  and  falsity  ;  as  these  damn  man,  the  "  earth  " 
in  that  sense  signifies  damnation,  as  in  the  following  places  : — - 

Lsa.  xiv.  12  ;  xxi.  9;  xxv.  12  ;  xxvi.  ig,  21  ;  xxix.  4;  xlvii.  i  ;  Ixiii.  6  ; 
Lam.  ii.  2,  10  ,  Ezek.  xxvi.  20 ;  xxxii.  24  ;  Xmii.  xvi.  29-33  ;  xx\  i. 
10 ;  and  elsewhere. 


CHAP,    v.,    VKKSE    4. — N.    306.  533 

VERSES  4,  5. 

303*  "  ^"d  I  was  weaping  much,  that  no  one  was  found  worthy  to  open  and  read 
the  booh,  neither  to  look  thereon.  And  one  of  the  elders  saith  unto  nie.  Weep  not ;  behold,  the 
Lion  that  is  from  the  tribe  of  Judah,  the  Root  of  Dauid.  hath  overcome  to  open  the  booh,  and 
to  loose  the  seven  seai^  thereof.  " 

4.  "And  I  was  weeping  much,  that  no  one  was  found  worthy  to  open  and  read 

the  book,  neither  to  look  thereon,"  ^ignihes  grie/ o/  /lear^  on  acannit  of 
the  ilisordfr  and  destru<flion  of  all  things,  if  no  one  could  knmu  (,>r/»c) 
comprehend  (cognoscere),  and  explore  all  men  and  all  things  pertaining  to 
men  [n.  306]. 

5.  "And  one  of  the  elders"  signifies  a  society  of  hea-ven  superior  in  wisdom 

to  the  rest  [n.  307]  ;  "saith  unto  Me,  Weep  not,"  signifies  that  there 
need  be  no  grief  on  that  account  [n.  308]  ;  "behold,  the  Lion  hath 
Overcome,"  signifies  that  the  Lord  from  His  oicn  power  subjugated  the 
hells,  and  reduced  all  things  in  the  heavens  to  order  [n.  309]  ;  "from 
the  tribe  of  Judah,  the  Root  of  David."  signifies  by  >ncans  of  Divine 
good  united  to  Dii'ine  truth  in  His  Human  [n.  310];  "to  open  the 
book,  and  to  loose  the  seven  seals  thereof."  signifies  that  lie  knows 
and  comprehends  all  and  each,  and  the  ?nost  secret  things  of  every  one 
[n.  311]. 

306.  [r,v>.  4]  "And  I  was  weeping  much,  that  no  one  was 
found  worth/  to  open  and  read  the  book,  neither  to  look  thereon," 

signifies  oricf  of  heart  on  account  of  tlic  disorder  and  destruclion 
of  all  things,  if  no  one  could  know,  comprehend  and  explore 
all  men,  and  all  things  pertaining  to  men. — This  is  evident  from 
tiie  signification  of  "weeping,"  as  meaning  to  grieve;  there- 
fore "to  weep  much"  means  to  grieve  from  the  heart,  or  grief  of 
heart ;  that  this  is  on  account  of  the  disorder  and  destruction  of 
all  things  will  be  seen  presently.  Also  from  the  significfUn  n  of 
"no  one  was  found  worthy  to  open  and  read  the  book,  neither  to 
look  thereon,"  as  meaning  that  no  one  is  such  as  to  be  able  to  know 
the  states  of  life  of  all  in  general,  and  of  each  in  particular  (of  which 
see  above,  n.  303,  304[<j])  ;  or,  what  is  the  same,  that  no  one  is 
such  as  to  be  able  to  know,  comprehend,  and  explore  all  men, 
and  all  things  pertaining  to  men.  In  regard  to  grief  of  heart 
(which  is  signified  by  "  I  wept  much  "),  on  account  of  the  disorder 
and  destru6lion  of  all  things  if  no  one  is  such  as  to  be  able  to  know, 
comprehend,  and  explore  all  men,  and  all  things  j:)ertainir:g  to 
men,  I  will  briefly  explain  : — That  the  angelic  heaven  may  have 
existence  and  subsistence,  all  things  therein  must  be  in  order ; 
f(M"  unless  hea\'en  were  in  order  it  would  be  destro\ed  ;  for 
the  angelic  heaven  is  divided  into  societies,  and  the  societies  are 
arranged  according  to  afiections  for  truth  and  good,  and  these  are 
manifold  and  numberless.  This  arranging  depends  solely  on 
the  infinite  wisdom  of  the  One  who  knows  all  things,  comprehends 
all  things,  and  explores  all  things,  and  therefore  disposes  and  ar- 
ranges all  things.  This  One  is  the  Lord  alone  ;  therefore  it  is  said 
in  the  Word,  that  to  Him  belongeth  judgment ;  and  that  power  is 


534  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

I  lis  in  the  heavens  and  on  the  cartli  ;  and  Iktc  that  "  He  tooK  the 
book  antl  loosed  the  seals  thereol."  Moreover,  unless  heaven  were 
in  order,  the  world,  that  is,  men  on  the  earth,  could  not  have  ex- 
istence and  subsistence,  since  the  world  depends  upon  heaven  and 
its  influx  into  the  spiritual  and  rational  things  of  men  ;  in  a  word, 

all  things  would  be  destroyed.  (But  all  this  may  be  better  comprehen(Jod 
from  what  is  set  forth  in  Heaven  and  Hell,  p.lio  in  The  Last  jfudgtncnt,  and  in  f.idl, 
from  everything  there  if  read  with  attention).  It  is  said  to  kilOW,  to  Com- 
prehend, and  to  explore,  because  this  is  signified  by  "to  open  the 
book,  to  read,  and  to  look  thereon  ;"  for  the  "book"  signifies  all 
tilings  in  man,  spirit,  and  angel,  that  is,  all  states  of  their  life,  in  re- 
spect to  love  and  faith  ;  therefore  *'to  open  the  book"  signifies  to 
know  these  things;  "to  read  the  book"  signifies  to  comprehend 
them  ;  and  "to  look  upon  the  book"  signifies  to  explore  them. 

307.  [Verse  5.]  "And  0/78  of  the  elders"  signifies  a  society  of 
heaven  superior  in  wisdom  to  the  rest. — This  is  evident  from 
the  signification  of  "  elders,"  as  meaning  those  who  are  in  truths 
from  good,  and  abstractly  truths  from  good  (of  which  above,  n. 
270),  thus  those  who  are  superior  to  the  rest  in  intelligence  and 
wisdom  ;  for  all  the  intelligence  any  one  has  is  from  good  through 
truths,  that  is,  through  truths  from  good,  and  from  no  other  source. 
"One  of  the  elders"  signifies  a  society  of  heaven  because  "an 
angel  "  in  the  Word  does  not  mean  one  angel,  but  a  whole  society 
(see  above,  n.  90,  302)  ;  in  like  manner  "one  of  the  elders."  A 
society  superior  in  wisdom  to  the  rest  is  meant,  because  this 
elder  declared  that  it  is  the  Lord  alone  who  acquired  to  Himself 
Divine  wisdom  in  respe6l  to  the  Human  in  order  that  he  might 
know,  comprehend,  and  explore  every  one,  and  the  states  of  the 
life  of  all  in  general,  and  of  each  one  in  particular  ;  which  things 
are  signified  by. his  saying,  "  Weep  not ;  behold,  the  Lion  that  is 
from  the  tribe  of  Judah,  the  Root  of  David,  hath  overcome  to  open 
the  book,  and  to  loose  the  seven  seals  thereof;"  for  to  know  this, 
namely,  that  it  is  the  Lord  alone  who  is  such,  belongs  to  the  wis- 
dom of  angels  of  heaven  ;  and  angelic  societies  of  the  third  or  in- 
most heaven  know  this  by  perception,  that  is,  by  influx  from  the 
Lord.  The  others  also  know  it,  yet  not  by  perception  but  by 
enlightenment  of  the  understanding.  Angels  of  the  third  or  in- 
most heaven  have  perception  ;  angels  of  the  second  and  of  the 
outmost  heaven  have  enlightenment  of  understanding  :  the  differ- 
ence is  this,  that  percej)tion  is  full  confirmation  by  influx  from 
the  .Lord,  but  enlightenment  of  understanding  is  spiritual  sight. 
This  those  have  who  are  in  charity  towards  the  neighbor  and  in 
faith  therefrom  ;  but  the  former,  namely,  perception,  those  have 

who  are  in  love  to  the  Lord  (see  further  what  perception  is,  in  Doflrine  of 
the  New  Jerusalem,  n.  135-140). 


CHAP,  v.,  VERSE  5— >^-  309-  535 

3oS.  "Saith  unto  me,  Weep  not,"  signifies  there  need  be  no 
grief  on  that  accoicnt. — This  is  evident  from  the  signification  of 
"weeping,"  as  meaning  grief  of  heart,  as  above  (n.  306),  where 
also  the  reason  for  this  meaning  may  be  seen. 

309.  "Behold,  the  Lion  hath  overcome,"  signifies  that  the  Lord 
front  His  own  pozver  subjugated  the  hells,  a7id  reduced  all  things 
there  and  in  the  heavens  to  order. — This  is  evident  from  the  sig- 
nification of  "overcoming,"  when  predicated  of  the  Lord,  namely, 
that  when  He  was  in  the  world  Ke  subjugated  the  hells,  and  re- 
duced all  things  there  and  in  the  heavens  to  order,  and  this  by 
temptations  admitted  into  His  Human,  and  then  by  continual  vic- 
tories (of  which  see  Do£trine  of  the  New  jferusalem,  n.  293,  294,  301,  302).    This 

therefore  is  signified  by  "overcoming,"  when  predicated  of  the 
Lord  ;  and  as  the  Lord  had  done  these  things  from  His  own  power, 
He  is  called  a  "Lion;"  for  "lion"  signifies  power  (see  above,  n. 
278).  That  the  Lord  did  these  things  from  His  own  power  is 
known  from  the  Word ;  but  as  few  are  aware  of  this,  I  wish  to 
say  something  respe6ling  it.  The  Lord  did  this  from  the  Divine 
that  was  in  him  by  conception ;  this  Divine  he  had  as  a  man  has 
a  soul  from  his  father ;  and  the  soul  of  every  one  works  by  means 
of  a  body,  for  the  body  is  the  soul's  obedience.  The  Divine  that 
was  in  the  Lord  by  conception  was  His  own  Divine,  which  in  the 
Athanasian  creed  is  said  to  be  equal  to  the  Divine  that  is  there 
■called  "the  Father;"  for  it  is  said  that 

As  is  the  Father  so  also  is  the  Son,  infinite,  uncreate,  eternal, 
omnipotent,  God,  Lord,  and  that  neither  of  them  is  greatest  or  least, 
nor  first  or  last,  but  altogether  equal. 

It  is  also  said  that 

The  Divine  and  Human  of  the  Lord  are  not  two,  but  one  person, 
and  that  as  the  soul  and  body  make  one  man,  so  the  Divine  and 
Human  are  one  Christ. 

From  this  those  who  have  faith  in  Athanasius  may  know  that  the 
Lord  did  these  things  from  His  own  power,  because  from  His  Di- 
vine. From  this  it  can  clearly  be  seen  what  is  meant  by  what  the 
Lord  says  in  fohn: 

"The  Father  that  abideth  in  Me,  He  doeth  the  works.     Believe  Me,  that 
I  am  in  the  Father,  and  the  Father  in  Me"  (xiv.  10,  11). 

And  elsewhere  in  the  same, 

"Verily  I  say  unto  you,  the  Son  can  do  nothing  of  Himself,  except  what 
He  seeth  the  Father  doing ;  for  whatever  things  He  doeth,  these 

also  the  Son  doeth  in  like  manner As  the  Father  raiseth  the 

dead  and  quickeneth  them,  even  so  the  Son  quickeneth  whom  He 


536  APOCALVPSli    liXI'I.AINKI). 

will As  the  Father  hath  life  in  Himself,  so  also  gave  He  to 

the  Son  to  have  life  in  Himself"  (v.  19,  21,  26). 

As  the  Divine,  which  the  Lord  calls  "the  Father,"  was  His  Di- 
vine, and  not  another  Divine,  it  can  be  seen  that  whatever  He 
did  from  the  Father,  as  well  as  whatever  He  did  from  the  Human 
which  He  calls  "the  Son,"  He  did  from  Himself;  thus  that  He 
did  all  things  by  His  own  power,  since  He  did  them  from  what 
was  His. 

310.  "From  the  tribe  of  Judah,  the  Root  of  David,"  sig- 
nifies by  means  of  Divine  good  united  to  the  Divine  truth  in 
His  Human. — This  is  evident  from  the  signification  of  "the  tribe 
of  Judah,"  as  meaning  all  goods  in  the  complex,  for  all  the  tribes 
of  Israel  signified  all  truths  and  goods  of  heaven  and  the  church 
(of  which  above,  n.  39) ;  and  "Judah"  or  his  tribe  signified  good 

of  celestial  love  (of  whicli  see  also  above,  n.  I  I9  ;  and  A.C.,  n.  3654,  3881,  5583, 

5603,  5782,  6363) ;  therefore  in  the  highest  sense,  in  which  the  Lord 
is  treated  of,  "the  tribe  of  Judah"  signifies  Divine  good.  It  is 
evident  also  from  the  signification  of  "the  Root  of  David,"  as 
meaning  Divine  truth  ;  for  by  "  David  "  in  the  Word  the  Lord  in 
respect  to  Divine  truth  is  meant  (see  above,  n.  205).  Therefore 
"of  the  tribe  of  Judah,  the  Root  of  David,"  means  the  Lord  in  re- 
spect to  Divine  good  united  to  Divine  truth  in  His  Human.  In 
the  Word  in  the  sense  of  its  letter  two  expressions  are  very 
often  used,  one  referring  to  good  and  the  other  to  truth  ;  but 
in  it.5  internal  or  spiritual  sense  the  two  are  joined  into  one, 
and  this  on  account  of  the  marriage  of  good  and  truth  in  every 
particular  of  the  Word  (of  which  see  above,  n.  238  at  end,  288[;^] ) ; 
the  reason  is  that  good  and  truth  in  heaven  are  not  two  but  one» 
for  every  truth  there  is  of  good.  The  Lord  in  respe<5i:  to  the 
Human  is  called  "  the  Root  of  David,"  for  the  reason  that  all  Di- 
vine truth  is  from  Him,  even  as  all  things  have  existence  and 
.subsistence  from  their  root ;  for  the  same  reason  He  is  called  "  the 
Root  of  Jesse,"  in  Isaiah : 

"It  shall  be  in  that  day  that  a  Root  of  Jesse,  which  standeth  for  a  sign 
of  the  peoples,  the  nations  shall  seek  :  and  His  rest  shall  be  (^lory  " 
(::i.  ic). 

"Jesse"  here  stands  for  David,  because  he  was  David's  father. 

311,  "  To  open  the  book  and  to  loose  the  seven  seals  thereof" 

signifies  that  He  knoius  and  comprehends  all  and  each,  and  the 
most  secret  things  of  every  one. — This  is  evident  from  what  was 
shown  above  (n.  299,  303,  304[<;]),  where  similar  things  are  men- 
tioned. 


CHAP,  v.,  VERSE    6. — N.  3I  3[a].  537 

VERSES   6,  7. 

3"«  "And  I  saw,  and  behold,  in  the  midst  of  the  throne  and  of  the  four  animals  _ 
and  in  the  midst  of  the  elders,  a  Lamb  standing,  as  If  slain,  having  seuen  horns  and  seven 
eyes,  which  are  the  seuen  spirits  of  6od,  sent  forth  into  all  the  earth.  And  He  came  and 
took  the  book  out  of  the  right  hand  of  Him  that  sat  upon  the  throne." 

6.  "And  /  saw,  and  behold,  in  the  midst  of  the  throne  and  of  the  four  animals, 

and  in  the  midst  of  the  elders,"  signifies.  i>i  /lie  li^Iiolc  heaven,  and  in 
particular  in  the  inmost  heavens  [n.  313]  ;  "a  Lamb  standing" signifies 
the  Lord  in  respcii  to  the  Divine  Human  [11.  314]  ;  '-as  if  slain  "  sig- 
nifies as  yet  aoknmvledged  by  feiv  [n.  315] ;  "having  seven  Aor/7S  "  signi- 
fies ii'ho  has  omnipotence  [n.  316]  ;  "and  seven  eyes  "  signifies  and  who 
has  oninisiience  [n.  317] ;  "which  are  the  seven  spirits  of  God,  sent 
forth  into  all  the  earth,"  signifies  that  all  wisdom  and  intelligence  in 
heaven  and  in  the  church  are  therefrotn  [n.  318]. 

7.  "And  He  came  and  took  the  book  out  of  the  right  hand  of  Him  that  sat  upon 

the  throne"  signifies  that  these  things  are  from  His  Divine  Human 
[n.  319]. 

3I3[rf].  {I'erse  6]  "And  I  SOW,  and  behold,  in  the  midst  of  the 
throne  and  of  the  four  animals,  and  in  the  midst  of  the  elders," 

signifies  in  the  ivholc  heaven,  and  in  particular  in  the  inrnost  heav- 
ens.— This  is  evident  fi-om  the  signification  of  "in  the  midst,"  as 
meaning  the  inmost,  therefore  the  whole  (of  which  presently);  from 
the  signification  of  "throne,"  as  meaning  heaven  in  the  whole  com- 
plex (of  which  above,  n.  253)  ;  from  the  signification  of  "the  four 
animals,"  as  meaning  the  Lord's  providence  and  guard  that  heaven 
be  not  approached  except  by  good  of  love  (of  which  see  above,  n. 
277)  ;  and  as  that  guard  is  especially  in  the  third  or  inmost  heaven, 
since  all  who  are  there  are  in  good  of  love  to  the  Lord  from  the 
Lord,  that  heaven  is  signified  in  particular  by  "the  four  animals" 
(which  will  be  more  clearly  seen  from  what  follows  in  this  chapter). 
It  is  also  evident  from  the  signification  of  the  "elders,"  as  meaning^ 
those  who  are  in  truths  from  good  (of  which  also  see  above,  n. 
270) ;  here,  therefore,  those  who  are  in  the  middle  or  second 
heaven,  since  all  who  are  there  are  in  truths  from  good  :  for  there 
are  these  two  heavens,  the  third  and  second,  distinguished  from 
each  other  by  this,  that  those  in  the  third  heaven  are  in  Io^'e  to  the 
Lord,  and  those  in  the  second  in  charity  towards  the  neighbor ; 
those  in  charity  towards  the  neighbor  are  in  truths  from  good. 
From  this  it  can  be  seen  what  is  signified  in  particular  h\  the 
"  four  animals  "and  the  "elders."  [2.]  But  the  "four  animals"  sig- 
nifv  in  general  all  Divine  good  in  the  whole  heaven,  which  guards  ; 
and  the  "elders"  signify  in  general  all  r)i\-ine  truth  going  forth 
from  Divine  good  in  the  whole  hea\'en  ;  lioth  guard,  because  thev 
are  united  ;  thus  "the  four  animals  and  the  elders."  together,  sig- 
nifv  Divine  good  \uiited  to  Divine  truth  going  forth  from  the  Lord, 
and  therefore  the  entire  angelic  heaven,  but  in  particular  the  twO' 


533  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED, 

inmost  heavens.  This  is  so  for  the  reason  that  anj^els  are  not  an- 
gels from  what  is  their  own  uw  propria],  but  from  the  Divine  good 
and  the  Divine  truth  that  they  receive ;  for  it  is  tlie  Divine  witli 
them,  that  is,  the  Divine  received  by  them,  that  causes  them  to  be 
angels,  and  causes  heaven,  which  is  made  up  of  them,  to  be  called 
heaven  (see  Heaveti  and  Hell,  n.  2-12,  51-86).  [3.]  That  "the  midst"  or 
"in  the  midst"  signifies  the  inmost  and  therefore  the  whole,  can 
be  seen  from  many  passages  in  the  Word  ;  but  first  let  something 
be  said  to  explain  how  it  is  that  because  "the  midst"  signifies  the 
inmost  it  also  signifies  the  whole.  This  may  be  illustrated  by 
comparison  with  light,  with  the  sun,  with  the  arranging  of  all 
in  the  heavens,  and  also  of  all  who  are  of  the  church  on  earth. 
By  comparison  with  light : — Light  in  the  midst  extends  itself  round 
about,  that  is,  from  centre  to  circumferences  in  every  direction  ; 
and  because  from  the  inmost  it  goes  forth  and  fills  the  spaces 
around,  so  "  in  the  midst "  signifies  also  the  whole.  By  comparison 
with  the  sun  : — The  sun  is  in  the  midst  because  it  is  the  centre 
of  its  universe ;  from  it  are  the  heat  and  light  in  its  system, 
therefore  the  sun  "in  the  midst"  signifies  its  presence  in  every 
direction,  or  throughout  the  whole.  By  comparison  with  the 
arraneinar  of  all  in  the  heavens  : — There  are  three  heavens,  and 
the  inmost  of  them  is  the  third  heaven  ;  this  flows  into  the  two 
lower  heavens,  and  makes  them  to  be  one  with  it  by  participation, 
which  is  efifedled  by  influx  from  the  inmost.  Moreover,  in  every 
society  of  the  heavens  that  which  is  inmost  is  the  most  perfe6l ; 
those,  therefore,  who  are  round  about  in  that  society  are  in  light 
and  intelligence  according  to  their  degrees  of  distance  from  the  in- 
most (see  Heave?!  and  Hell,  n.  43,  50,  189).     By  comparison  with  thoSC  who 

are  of  the  church  on  earth  : — The  Lord's  church  is  spread  through 
the  whole  world  ;  but  its  inmost  is  where  the  Lord  is  known  and 
acknowledged,  and  where  the  Word  is ;  from  that  inmost,  light 
and  intelligence  go  out  to  all  who  are  round  about  and  are  of  the 
church,  but  this  extension  of  light  and  intelligence  is  efie6ted  in 
heaven  (of  which  see  Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  308).  From  this  it  Can  be  seen 
that  "the  midst,"  or  "in  the  midst,"  as  it  signifies  the  inmost,  sig- 
nifies also  the  whole.  This  makes  clear  what  is  meant  by  "  I  saw, 
and  lo,  in  the  midst  of  the  throne,  and  of  the  four  animals,  and  in 
the  midst  of  the  elders,  a  Lamb  standing,"  namely,  the  Lord  in 
respe6l  to  His  Divine  Human,  in  the  whole  heaven,  and  in  par- 
ticular in  the  inmost  heavens. 

[&•]    [4.]  "  The  midst "  signifies  the  inmost,  and  therefore  the 
whole,  in  many  passages  of  the  Word,  as  in  the  following.  In  Isaiah: 

"  Cry  out  and  shout,  thou  inhabitant  of  Zion,  for  great  is  the  Holy  One 
of  Israel  in  the  midst  of  thee  "  (xii.  6). 


CHAP,  v.,  VERSE   6. — X.  3  I  3[/'].  539 

"Inhabitant  of  Zion  "  signifies  the  same  as  "daughter  of  Zion,'* 
namely,  the  celestial  church,  that  is,  the  church  that  is  in  good  of 
love  to  the  Lord  ;  "great  is  the  Holy  One  of  Israel  in  the  midst 
of  thee  "  signifies  the  Lord,  that  He  is  everywhere  and  through- 
out the  whole  there.     [5.]   In  David  : 

"  We  have  thought  on  Thy  mercy,  O  God,  in  the  midst  of  Thy  temple. 

As  is  Thy  name so  is  Thy  praise  unto  the  ends  of  the  earth  " 

{Psalm  xlviii.  q,  lo). 

"Temple"  signifies  a  church  that  is  in  truths  from  good,  which  is 
called  a  spiritual  church  ;  "in  the  midst"  of  it  is  in  its  inmost,  and 
consequently  in  the  whole  ol  it;  therefore  it  is  said,  "As  is  Thy 
name,  so  is  Thy  praise  unto  the  ends  of  the  earth,"  "unto  the 
ends  of  the  earth"  meaning  even  to  the  outmosts  of  the  church, 
the  "earth"  is  the  church.     [6.]    In  the  same, 

"God  is  my  King  of  old,  working  salvations  in  the  midst  of  the  earth" 
{Psalm  Ixxiv.  12)  ; 

"working  salvations  in  the  midst  of  the  earth  "  signifying  in  e\'ery 
direction.     [7.]  In  the  same, 

"God  stood  in  the  assembly  of  God,  in  the  midst  of  the  gods  He  will 
judge  "  {Psalm  Ixxxii.  i). 

"The  assembly  of  God"  signifies  heaven  ;  "in  the  midst  of  the 
gods"  signifies  with  all  angeis  there,  thus  in  the  whole  heaven  ; 
for  angels  are  called  gods  from  the  Divine  truth  that  they  receive 
from  the  Lord,  for  "  God"  in  the  Word  signifies  the  Lord  :n  re- 
spect to  Divine  truth  going  forth  from  Him,  and  constituting 
heaven  (see  above,  n.  24, 130,  220[<?],  222[,;],  302).    [<  .]  In  Moses  : 

"  Behold,  I  send  an  angel  before  thee  ;,  .  .  .beware  of  his  face,,  .  .since 
My  name  is  in  the  midst  zi  him  "  {Exod.  xxiii.  20,  21). 

"  Angel"  here,  in  the  highest  sense,  means  the  Lord  ;  "  My  name 
in  the  midst  of  him"  means  that  all  Di\ine  good  and  Divine  truth 
are  in  Him  (see  above,  n,  I02[.!],  135,  224).     [9.1    In  Licke : 

Jesus  said  of  the  last  times,  "Then  let  them  that  are  in  Judea  flee  to 
the  mountains  ;  and  let  them  that  are  in  the  midst  of  her  depart 
out'   (.xxi=  21). 

This  treats  of  the  consummation  of  the  age,  by  which  is  meant  the 
last  time  of  the  church,  when  judgment  takes  place.  "Judea" 
does  not  mean  Judea,  but  the  church  ;  and  the  "mountains"  do 
not  mean  mountains,  but  good  of  love  to  the  Lord  ;  and  as  these 
things  are  said  respecfling  the  end  of  the  church,  it  is  clear  what 
is  signified  by  "  let  them  that  are  in  Judea  flee  to  the  mountains  ; 
and  let  them  that  are  in  the  midst  of  her  depart  out ;"  namely,  that 
when  judgment  takes  place  all  those  of  the  church  who  are  in 


540  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

good  of  love  to  the  Lord  sliall  he  safe,     iio.)     In  /sai'a/i  : 

"  In  that  day  shall  Israel  be  third  to  Egypt  and  Assyria,  a  blessing  in  the 
midst  of  the  earth  ;  whom  Jehovah  shall  bless,  saying,  Hlessed  be 
Egypt  My  people,  and  Assyria  the  work  of  My  hands,  and  Israel 
My  inheritance"  (xix.  24,  25). 

*'  Israel "  means  the  spiritual  of  the  church  ;  "  Assyria  "  the  rational 
of  the  men  thereof;  and  "  Egypt "  knowledges  {cognitiones  ei  sdeniifica). 
P'rom  this  it  can  be  seen  what  is  signified  by  "  Israel  shall  be  the 
third  to  Egypt  and  Assyria,  a  blessing  in  the  midst  of  the  land," 
namely,  that  everything  there  shall  be  spiritual,  both  the  rational 
and  the  knowing  iaculty  (coi^nitivinn  et  sdentifcmn)  ;  lor  when  the  in- 
most is  spiritual,  which  is  truth  from  good,  then  the  rational  which 
is  therefrom  is  spiritual  too,  and  likewise  the  knowing  faculty  r 
for  both  are  formed  from  the  inmost,  which  is  truth  from  good 
that  is,  the  spiritual.     [II.]    In  yeremiah: 

"  My  heart  in  the  midst  of  me  is  broken,  all  my  bones  are  shattered' 
(xxiii.  9). 

"  Heart  broken  in  the  midst  of  me"  signifies  grief  from  inmosts 
to  outmosts,  that  is,  through  the  whole;  therefore  it  is  said,  "ail 
my  bones  are  shattered,"  "  bones  "  signifying  outmosts.  [12.]  In 
the  following  passages,  also,  "in  the  midst"  signifies  in  the  whole, 
or  through  the  whole.     In  Isaiah  : 

"It  shall  be  in  the  midst  of  the  earth,  in  the  midst  of  the  peoples,  as  the 
beating  of  an  olivc  tree,  as  the  gleanmgs  when  the  vintage  is  done  " 
(xxiv.  13). 

These  things  were  said  of  the  church  vastated  in  respe6l  to  good 
and  truth,  and  in  which  there  is  nothing  but  evil  and  falsity.  'In 
the  midst  of  the  earth"  means  that  throughout  the  whole  of  the 
church  there  is  evil  ;  and  "  in  the  midst  of  the  peoples  "  means  that 
throughout  the  whole  of  it  there  is  falsity ;  therefore  it  is  com- 
pared to  "the  beating  of  an  olive  tree,"  and  to  "the  gleanings  left 
when  the  vintage  is  done;"  "olive"  signifying  the  good  of  the 
church,  "  vintage"  the  truth  thereof,  and  "beating"  and  "glean- 
ings" thereof  signifying  vastation.     [13.]    In  David: 

"  They  search  out  perversities;,. .  .for  the  midst  of  man  and  the  heart 
are  deep"  {Psalm  Ixiv.  6), 

The  "  midst  of  man  "  means  the  intelle6lual  where  truth  should  be  ; 
and  the  "  heart "  the  voluntary  where  good  should  be  ;  here,  both 
of  these  perverted,  the  latter  into  evil,  and  the  tormer  into  falsity. 
[14.]    In  the  same, 

"  There  is  no  certainty  in  the  mouth  of  any  one  ;  mischiefs  are  their 
midst"  { Psafi't  v.  o"*. 


CilAP.   v.,   VKRSK   6. — N.   3I4[«].  541 

In  the  same, 

"They  bless  with  their  mouth,  but  in  their  midst  they  curse"  {Psalm 
Ixii.  4). 

in  the  same, 

"  The  sayin.y;  of  transgression  to  the  wicked,  in  the  midst  of  my  heart, 
there  is  no  fear  of  tiod  before  his  eyes  "  {Psalm  xxxvi    i). 

In  ycremiah  • 

"They  have  taught  their  tongue  to  speak  a  lie  : it  is  theirs  to  dvvc'l 

in  the  midst  of  deceit  ;  through  deceit  they  refuse  to  know  Me" 

(ix.  5,  6). 

In  these  and  in  many  other  passages,  "in  the  midst"  signifies  in 
the  whole,  because  in  the  inmost ;  for  such  as  the  inmost  is,  such 
is  the  whole ;  since  from  the  inmost  all  other  things  are  brouglit 
forth  and  derived,  as  the  body  is  from  its  soul ;  and  the  inmost  of 
ever}'  thing  is  what  is  called  the  soul.  For  example  :  the  inmost 
of  man  is  his  will  and  understanding  therefrom,  and  such  as  is  the 
will  with  its  understanding,  such  is  the  whoie  man  ;  so  again,  the 
inmost  of  man  is  his  love  and  faith  therefrom,  and  such  as  is  his 
love  with  its  faith,  such  is  the  whole  man. 

[c]  [15.]  That  the  whole  man  is  such  as  his  midst  or  inmost 
is,  is  the  meaning  of  the  Lord's  words  in  Matthew  : 

"  The  lamp  of  the  body  is  the  eye  ;  if  the  eye  be  good  the  whole  body  is 
light;  if  the  eye  be  evil  the  whole  body  is  darkened"  (vi.  22,  23). 

The  "eye"  signifies  man's  understanding  (see  above,  n.  37,  152), 
if  this  is  good,  that  is,  if  it  is  made  up  of  truths  that  are  from  good, 
the  whole  man  is  such,  which  is  signified  by  "  the  whole  body  is 
light ;"  but  on  the  other  hand,  if  the  understanding  is  made  up  of 
falsities  of  e\'il  the  whole  tnan  is  such,  as  is  signified  by  "  the  whole 
body  is  darkened."  The  eye  is  called  "good  ;"  but  ni  the  Greek, 
"single,"  and  "single"  means  that  there  is  unity,  and  there  is  unity 
when  truth  is  from  good,  or  the  understanding  is  from  the  will. 
Also,  the  "right  eye"  signifies  the  understanding  of  good,  and  the 
*'left  eye"  the  understanding  of  truth ;  if  these  make  one,  there 
is  a  "single  eye,"  thus  a  "good  eye." 

3I4[f«].  "A  Lamb  standing"  signifies  the  Lord  in  respect 
to  the  Divine  Human. — This  is  evident  from  the  signification  of 
"lamb,"  as  meaning,  in  reference  to  the  Lord,  Himself  in  respedl 
to  the  Divine  Human.  The  Lord  in  respe6l  to  the  Divine  Hu- 
man is  called  a  "lamb,"  because  a  "lamb"  signifies  the  good  of 
mnocence,  and  the  good  of  innocence  is  the  essential  good  of 
heaven  going  forth  from  the  Lord ;  and  so  far  as  angels  re- 
ceive this  good,  so  far  they  are  angels.     This  good  reigns  with 


54-  Al'OCALYPSK    KXl'LAlNKl).  > 

angels  that  are  in  the  third  or  inmost  heaven  ;  for  this  reason 
those  in  that  heaven  appear  as  Uttle  children  before  the  eyes  of 

other  angels.  (Wh;it  the  gooJ  of  innocence  is,  and  that  the  angels  of  heaven 
are  in  that  good,  see  Heaven  and  Hell,  under  the  heading,  Tl:ie  State  of  Innocence 
of  the  Angels  of  Heaven,  n.  276-283,  also  n.  285,  288,  341,  382).      It  is  believed 

in  the  world  that  the  Lord  is  called  "a  Lamb  "for  the  reason 
that  the  continual  burnt-offering,  or  what  was  offered  everv  day, 
evening  and  morning,  was  [a  sacritice]  of  lambs,  esj)ecially  on 
the  Passo\^er  days,  when  a  lamb  was  also  eaten  ;  and  tliat  the 
Lord  suffered  Himself  to  be  sacrificed.  Such  a  reason  for  His 
being  so  called  may  do  for  those  in  the  world  who  do  not  think 
beyond  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word  ;  but  nothing  of  this 
kind  is  perceived  in  heaven  when  the  term  "lamb"  is  api:)lied 
to  the  Lord  ;  but  when  "lamb"  is  mentioned,  or  is  read  in  the 
Word,  the  angels,  because  they  are  all  in  the  spiritual  sense  of  the 
Word,  perceive  the  good  of  innocence ;  and  when  the  Lord  is  so 
called,  they  perceive  His  Divine  Human,  and  at  the  same  time  the 
good  of  innocence  that  is  from  Him.  I  know  that  this  will  scarcely 
be  believed,  and  yet  it  is  true. 

[ft.]  [2.]  That  "lamb"  in  the  Word  signifies  the  good  of  in- 
nocence, and  in  reference  to  the  Lord  signifies  His  Divine  Human, 
can  be  seen  from  the  following  passages.     In  Isaiah : 

"Behold,  the  Lord  Jehovih  cometh  in  might He  shall  feed  His 

fiock  like  a  shepherd  ;  He  shall  gather  the  lambs  into  His  arm, 
and  shall  carry  them  in  His  bosom,  and  shall  gently  lead  the  suck- 
lings "  (xl.  10,  11). 

This  treats  of  the  Lord's  coming;  the  "flock,"  that  He  shall  feed 
as  a  shepherd,  signify  those  who  are  in  good  of  ch-arity  ;  and  the 
"lambs,"  that  He  shall  gather  in  His  arm,  signify  those  who  are  in 
love  to  Him.  It  is  this  love  that,  viewed  in  itself,  is  innocence  ; 
therefore  all  who  are  in  it  are  in  the  heaven  of  innocence,  which  is 
the  third  heaven  ;  and  as  this  love  is  signified  by  lambs,  it  is  also 
said,  "  He  shall  gently  lead  the  sucklings."  "  Sucklings  "  and 
"infants"  in  the  Word  mean  those  who  are  in  innocence  {set  Heaven 
and  He//,  n.  277,  280,  329-345).     [3.]    In  the  Same, 

"The  wolf  shall  dwell  v/ith  the  lamb,  and  the  leopard  shall  lie  down 
with  the  kid,  the  calf  and  the  young  lion  and  the  fatling  together, 
and  a  little  boy  shall  lead  them  ;  and  the  heifer  and  the  bear  shall 
feed,  their  young  ones  shall  lie  down  together  ; . . . .  the  suckling 
shall  play  on  the  hole  of  the  adder,  and  the  weaned  child  shall  put 
his  hand  on  the  basilisk's  den  "  (xi.  6-8). 

These  things  are  said  of  the  Lord's  coming  and  His  kingdom,  also 
of  those  therein  who  are  in  the  good  of  innocence,  that  the)^  shall 
have  nothing  to  fear  from  the  hells  and  evils  therefrom,  because 


CHAl'.    v.,   VERSE    6. — N".    3I4[/'].  543 

they  are  protccfted  by  the  Lord.  The  Lord's  kingdom  is  here 
described  by  innocences  of  various  kinds,  and  by  their  opposites 
from  which  they  shall  be  protecSled  ;  a  "lamb"  means  innocence 
of  the  inmost  degree,  its  opposite  is  the  "wolf;"  a  "kid"  means 
innocence  of  the  second  degree,  the  opposite  of  which  is  the  "leo- 
pard ;"  a  "  calf  "  means  innocence  of  the  outmost  degree,  the  oppo- 
site of  which  is  the  "young  lion."  (lliat  "iamb,"  "i-am,"  or"shocp," 
and  "  calf,"  signify  three  degrees  of  innocence,  see  A.C.,  n.  10132.)      InnocencS 

of  the  inmost  degree  is  such  as  belongs  to  those  who  are  in  the 
third  or  inmost  heaven,  and  its  good  is  called  celestial  good  ;  in- 
nocence of  the  second  degree  is  such  as  belongs  to  those  who  are 
in  the  second  or  middle  heaven,  and  its  good  is  called  spiritual 
good  ;  and  innocence  of  the  outmost  degree  is  such  as  belongs  to 
those  who  are  in  the  first  or  outmost  heaven,  and  its  good  is  called 

spiritual-natural  good.       (That  all  who  are  in  the  heavens  are  in  some  good 

of  innocence,  see -^.C,  n.  4797.)  Because  goods  of  innocence  are  de- 
scribed by  the  animals  above  named,  it  is  said  further  "and  a  little 
boy  shall  lead  them,"  also,  "the  suckling  shall  play  on  the  hole  of 
the  adder,  and  the  weaned  child  shall  put  his  hand  upon  the  basi- 
lisk's den."     These  degrees  of  innocence  are  signified   also  by 

"boy,"  "suckling,"  and  "  weaned  child."  (That  "boy"  has  this  signi- 
fication, see  .I.e.,  n.  430,  5236;  that  "suckling"  or  infant  of  the  first  age,  and 
"weaned  child"  or  infant  of  the  second  age,  see  n.  3183,  4563,   5608,  6740.  6745.) 

[4.]  Because  a  "lamb"  signifies  innocence,  or  those  who  are  in- 
nocent, and  a  "wolf"  those  who  are  against  innocence,  it  is  said 
in  like  manner  in  another  place  in  the  same  prophet, 

"'The  wolf  and  the  lamb  shall  feed  together  ;.  . .  .they  shall  not  do  evil 
in  the  whole  mountain  of  holiness'   (Ixv.  25^; 

"mountain  of  holiness"  meaning  heaven,  in  particular  the  inmost 
heaven.     So  the  Lord  said  to  the  seventy  whom  He  sent  forth, 

"  I  send  you  forth  as  lambs  in  the  midst  of  wolves  "  {Luke  x.  3). 

'3.]  Because  "lambs"  signify  those  who  are  in  love  to  the  Lord, 
which  love  is  one  with  innocence,  and  because  "sheep"  signify 
those  who  are  in  love  towards  the  neighbor,  which  love  is  charity, 
the  Lord  said  to  Peter, 

"Simon,  son  of  Jonas,  lovest  thou  Me. . .  .  ?  He  saith  unto  Him,  Yea, 
Lord;  Thou  knowcst  that  I  love  Thee.  He  saith  unto  him,  Feed 
My  lambr, ;"  and  afterwards,  "Feed  My  sheep"  {John  xxi.  15-17). 

These  things  were  said  to  Peter,  because  by  "  Peter  "  truth  from 
good,  or  faith  from  charity  was  meant,  and  truth  from  good 
teaches  ;  "  to  feed"  meaning  to  teach.    [6.]    In  Ezekiel: 

"  Arabia  and  all  the  princes  of  Kedar,  these  wero  the  merchants  cf  thy 
hand,  in  lambn,  rams,  and  goats  "  (xxvii.  2i). 


\44  AlVXALVPSK    EXPLAINED. 

This  IS  said  of  T)rc,  by  which  those  who  arc  in  the  knowledges 
of  truth  and  good  are  meant.  "  Arabia  "  and  "  princes  of  Kedar," 
who  are  the  merchants  of  her  hand,  signify  those  who  are  in  truths 
and  goods  from  knowledges;  "merchants"  signify  those  who 
communicate  and  teach  these;  "iambs,  rams,  and  goats,"  signify 
three  degrees  of  the  good  of  innocence,  the  same  as  "lambs, 

rams,  and  calves."  Criiat  these  signify  the  three  degrees  of  the  good  of  inno- 
cence, see  A.C..  n.  10042. 10132.)     [7.]    In  like  manner  in  Moses  : 

"He  made  him  to  ride  on  the  high  places  of  the  earth,  and  fed  him 
with  the  increase  of  the  fields  ;  He  made  him  to  suck  hrney  out 
of  the  cliff,  and  oil  out  of  t.he  flinty  rock  ;  butter  of  the  herd  and 
milk  of  the  flock,  with  the  fat  of  lambs,  of  the  rams  of  Bashan, 
and  of  goats,  with  the  fai  cf  the  kidneys  of  wheat ;  and  thou  drink- 
est  the  pure  blood  of  t!i2  scrape "  {Deiti,  xxxii,  13,  14). 

These  things  are  said  of  the  establishment  of  the  Ancient  Church, 
which  was  the  first  church  after  the  flood,  and  all  these  things  de- 
scribe its  \'arious  kinds  of  good  ;  but  as  scarcely  any  one  will  un- 
derstand them  without  explanation,  I  will  briefly  explain  them. 
"  To  ride  on  the  high  places  of  the  earth  "  signifies  that  the  intelli- 
gence of  those  who  were  of  that  church  was  interior  ;  "  He  fed  him 
with  the  increase  of  the  fields  "  signifies  that  they  were  instructed  in 
e\-ery  truth  and  good  ;  "  He  made  him  to  suck  honey  out  of  the 
cliff "  signifies  that  they  had  natural  good  by  means  of  truths  ;  "oil 
out  of  the  flinty  rock  "  signifies  that  they  had  spiritual  good  also  by 
means  of  truths;  "honey"  and  "oil"  signifying  those  goods,  an<f 
"cliff,"  "rock,"  and  "hard  rock,"  signifying  truths.  "Butter  01 
the  herd,  and  milk  of  the  flock,"  signify  internal  and  external  good 
of  truth  ;  "  fat  of  lambs,  of  the  rams  ....  of  Bashan,  and  of  goats." 
signifies  the  goods  of  innocence  in  their  three  degrees  (as  above) ; 
"fat  of  the  kidneys  of  wheat"  and  "blood  of  the  grape"  signify 
genuine  good  and  genuine  truth  therefrom.     [8.]    In  IsaiaJi : 

"  The  sword  of  Jehovah  shall  be  filled  with  blood  ;  it  shall  be  made  fat 
with  fatness,  with  the  blood  of  lambs  and  goats,  and  with  the  fat 
of  the  kidneys  of  rams  "  (xxxiv.  6). 

Here,  too,  "lambs,  rams,  and  goats,"  signify  the  three  degrees  of 
the  good  of  innocence  (as  above)  ;  but  here  their  destruction  by 
the  falsities  of  evil  is  treated  of;  for  "sword"  signifies  falsity  de- 
stroying truth  and  good:  the  "blood"  with  which  it  shall  be 
"illed  signifies  destruction. 

[r.]  [9.]  .Since  a  "lamb"  signifies  innocence,  which,  viewed 
'n  itself,  is  love  to  the  Lord,  a  "lamb,"  in  the  highest  sense,  signi- 
ries  the  Lord  in  respe6l  to  the  Divine  Human,  for  In  respe(5l  to 
this,  the  Lord  was  innocence  itself:  as  may  be  seen  in  the  follow- 


•»  CHAP,  v.,  VERSE  6. — N.  3i4[<;].  545 

ing  passages.       li\ /sa/a/i  : 

"He  endured  persecution  and  He  was  afflicted,  yet  He  opened  not  His 
mouth  ;  He  is  led  as  a  lamb  to  the  slaughter"  (liii.  7). 

n  the  same, 

"Send  ye  the  lamb  of  the  ruler   jf  the  land  from  the  rock  toward  the 
wilderness  unto  the  Mount  of  the  daughter  of  Zion  "  (xvi.  i). 

/n  yo/m  : 

John  seeth  Jesus  coming  unto  him,  and  saith,  Behold  the  Lamb  of 
God,  that  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world."  And  afterwards, 
seeing  Jesus  walking,  he  said,  "Behold  the  Lamb  of  God"  (i.  29, 

In  the  Apocalypse  : 

"The  Lamb  in  the  midst  of  the  throne  shall  feed  them,  and  shall  lead 
them  unto  living  fountains  of  waters"  (vii.  17). 

An  1  in  another  place, 

"  They  overcame  by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  and  by  the  Word  of  the 
testimony  "  (xii.  11); 

besiile^  also  elsewhere  in  the  Apocalypse 

(as  xiii.  8 ;  xiv.  i,  4  ;  xvii.  14 ;  xix.  7,  g  ;  xxi.  22,  23 ;  xxii.  i,  3;. 

[10.]  Since  "burnt-offerings  and  sacrifices"  signified  all  represent- 
ative worship  from  good  of  love  and  from  its  truths,  "burnt  of- 
ferings "  worship  from  good  of  love,  and  *  sacrifices  "  in  a  particular 
sense  worship  from  the  truths  thereof,  so 

Every  day,  evening  and  morning,  there  was  a  burnt-offering  of  lambs 

(Exod.  xxix.  3S-43  ;    Xuni.  xxviii.  1-9)  ; 
Every  Sabbath,  of  two  lambs,  besides  the  continual  burnt-offering  {N'uin. 

xxviii.  9,  10)  ; 
In  the  beginnings  of  the  months,  of  seven  lambs  (A'um.  xxviii.  11-15); 
Likewise  on  the  day  of  the  first-fruits  {.\'ia/i.  xxviii.  2b  to  end); 
Likewise  in  the   seventh    month,  when   there  was  a  holy  convocation 

{.Vum.  xxix.  1-7) ; 
Likewise  of  seven  lambs  on   each    day  of  the   passover,  besides   two 

young  bullocks,  one  ram,  and  one  goat  {A'uin.  xxviii.  16-24). 

The  burnt-offering  was  of  "seven  lambs"  because  "seven"  signi- 
fies all  and  fulness,  and  it  is  predicated  of  what  is  holy,  and  because 
"burnt-offerings"  in  general  signified  worship  of  the  Lord  from 
good  of  love,  and  good  of  love  to  the  Lord  from  the  Lord  is  the 
essential  good  of  innocence  ;  and  "lamb"  in  the  highest  sense  sig- 
nified the  Lord  in  respect  to  the  Divine  Human.  (That "  burnt-offer- 
ings" signified  all  worship  from  good  of  love  to  the  Lord  from  the  Lord,  see  A.C., 

n.  923,  6905,  8680,  8936,  10042.)  On  account  of  this  representation  there 
was  also  instituted 

The  supper  of  the  passover  of  lambs  or  kids  {Exod.  xii.  1-29). 


546  .u'()(■Al,^■I'Sl■;  i;.\im..\ini-.i). 

for  "the  ftMst  of  the  passover  "  represented  the  glorification  of  the 
Lord's  Human  (see  .-i.<';.,  n.  10655).  Because  "infants"  signified  in- 
nocence, it  was  also  comniancled  that 

After  birth,  on  the  day  of  purification,  they  should  r,acrifice  a  lamb  and 
a  young  pigeon  or  a  turtle  dove  ;  or,  instead  of  a  lamb,  two  young 
pigeons  or  two  turtle  doves  {Lev.  xii.  6,  S) ; 

"young  pigeons"  and  "turtle  doves"  signifying  the  same  as 
"lambs,"  namely,  innocence. 

3l5[r#].  "As  if  slain  "  signifies  as  yet  acknowledged  by  fezv. — 
This  is  evident  from  the  signification  of  "slain,"  as  meaning,  in 
reference  to  the  Lord,  that  He  has  not  been  acknowledged  ;  here 
that  few  have  acknowledged  His  Human  to  be  Divine,  for  it  is 
said  "a  lamb  standing  as  if  slain,"  a  "lamb"  signifying  the  Lord 
in  respe6l  to  the  Divine  Human  (as  was  shown  just  above,  n.  314). 
The  meaning  here  is  the  same  as  in  what  was  said  of  the  Lord 
(chap.  i.  18),  "  and  I  became  dead,"  which  signifies  that  He  was  re- 
jected (see  above,  n.  83).  In  the  spiritual  or  internal  sense,  "  slain  " 
does  not  mean  slain  in  respecl;  to  the  body,  but  in  respecl  to  the 
soul ;  and  man  is  slain  in  respe6t  to  the  soul  when  he  is  no  longer 
in  any  good  of  foith,  for  he  then  has  no  spiritual  life,  but  death 
instead,  which  is  called  spiritual  death.  But  this  is  not  what  the 
term  "slain"  signifies  when  applied  to  the  Lord,  since  the  Lord 
is  life  itself,  and  gives  spiritual  life  to  every  one ;  but  it  signifies 
either  that  He  is  reje6led  or  that  He  is  not  acknowledged  ;  for 
with  those  who  do  not  acknowledge,  and  still  more  with  those 
who  denv,  He  is  as  nothing.  The  Lord  Himself,  to  be  sure,  and 
also  His  Divine,  is  acknowledged  in  the  church,  but  in  respecl:  to 
the  Human  as  a  man  merely  and  not  as  God  ;  thus  it  is  that  His 
Divine  Human  is  not  acknowledged  ;  this  therefore,  is  what  is 
meant  by  "a  Lamb  standing  as  if  slain."  But  that  the  Lord  is 
God  even  as  to  the  Human,  can  be  seen  in  the  Doflrine  of  the 
New  yerusalem  (n.  280-310),  and  will  be  seen  at  the  end  of  this 
work,  where  it  will  be  plainly  shown.  [2=]  Those  who  think  solely 
according  to  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word,  and  not  at  the 
same  time  according  to  the  doftrine  of  genuine  truth,  know  no 
otherwise  than  that  "slain  "  in  the  Word  means  slain  in  respect  to 
the  bod}'  ;  but  that  it  means  slain  in  respe6l  to  the  soul  will  be  seen 
from  the  passages  to  be  quoted  presently.  For  it  is  everywhere 
known  that  the  Word  in  its  inmost  is  spiritual,  although  in  the 
sense  of  the  letter  it  is  natural ;  and  to  be  slain  spiritually  is  to  per- 
ish in  respeft  to  the  soul,  as  in  the  case  with  those  who  do  not 
recc'^"^  l"',-^  v'"-^  of  lieaven,  which  is  called  "life  eternnl,"  nivi  n1  ') 


CHAP,   v.,  VERSE   6. — X.  3i5[<^].  547 

simply  "life,"  and  wlio  thus  in  place  ot  this  have  death,  which  is 
damnation.  And  because  this  is  everywhere  known,  it  follows 
that  "to  be  siain"  means  in  the  Word  to  ])erish  by  falsities  and 
evils.  But  spiritually  the  Lord  is  said  to  be  "slain"  when  the 
truth  from  Him  is  denied  and  the  good  is  rejected  ;  with  such  as 
these  the  Lord  is  not  even  acknowledged,  for  he  who  denies 
and  rejects  what  is  from  Him,  denies  and  rejects  Him  also,  for 
the  Lord  is  with  man  in  his  truths  and  goods.  [3.]  But  here 
His  Divine  Human  is  treated  of;  that  this  is  not  acknowledged 
even  yet,  is  known.  I  will  state  the  reasons :  One  is,  that  the 
popish  body  has  transferred  to  its  own  primate  all  Divine  power 
that  the  Lord  has,  even  in  respe6t  to  His  Human,  and  are  unwill- 
ing to  hear  that  it  is  Divine,  since  it  is  from  His  Human.  The 
other  reason  is,  that  those  who  are  not  of  that  body  have  made 
faith  alone  the  sole  means  of  salvation,  and  a  life  of  charity  not  a 
means  of  salvation  ;  and  those  who  do  this  are  unable  to  look 
upon  the  Lord's  Human  as  differing  at  all  from  the  human  of 
any  other  man  ;  they  therefore  cling  blindly  to  the  doctrine  of  the 
Trinity  from  the  creed  of  Athanasius,  and  cannot  be  enlightened. 
[6.]  [4.]  That  "to  be  slain"  in  the  Word  signifies  to  be  slain 
spiritually,  can  be  seen  from  the  following  passages.     In  Isaiah  : 

"  Thou.  . .  .like  an  abominable  shoot,  the  raiment  of  those  that  are  slain  ; 
thrust  through  with  a  sword  :  ....  for  thou  hast  destroyed  thy  land, 

thou  hast  slain  thy  people Prepare  slaughter  for  His  sons  " 

(xiv.  ig-2i). 

This  is  said  of  Babylon,  which  signifies  profanation  of  good  and 
truth,  and  consequent  destruction  of  the  church.  It  is  compared 
to  "the  raiment  of  those  that  are  slain,  who  are  thrust  through 
with  a  sword,"  because  "the  raiment  of  those  that  are  slain"  sig- 
nifies abominable  falsit}-,  defiling  and  destroying  the  things  of  the 
church  ;  they  are  therefore  said  "  to  be  thrust  through  with  a 
sword,"  because  "sword  "  signifies  falsity  destroying  truth.  There- 
fore it  is  said,  "thou  hast  destroyed  thy  land,  thou  ha.st  slain  thy 
people,"  "land"  means  the  church,  and  " people "  those  therein 
who  are  in  truths  ;  to  "  slay"  these  is  to  destroy  by  falsities.  "  Pre- 
pare slaughter  for  his  sons"  signifies  that  their  falsities  must  be 
destroyed,  "his  sons"  meaning  falsities.     [5.]    In  yercyniah : 

"  The  slain  of  Jehovah  shall  be  at  that  day  from  the  end  of  the  earth 
unto  the  end  of  the  earth  "  (xxv.  33). 

"The  slain  of  Jehovah  from  the  end  of  the  earth  unto  the  end  of 
the  earth  "  signify  those  with  whom  all  the  truths  of  the  church 
have  been  destroyed  by  falsities;  "the  slain  of  Jehovah"  signify- 


548  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

ing  those  with  whom  they  have  been  destroyed,  and  "from  the 
end  of  the  earth  unto  the  end  of  the  earth"  sij>nifyin.y-  all  thinu;s 
of  the  church.     [6.]    In  the  same, 

"Therefore  give  their  sons  to  the  famine,  and  make  them  flow  down 
upon  the  hands  of  the  sword,.  .  .  .that  men  may  become  rare,  slain 
with  death,  their  young  men  smitten  withithe  sword  in  war  "  (xviii. 
21). 

"To  give  sons  to  the  famine,  and  to  make  them  flow  down  upon 
the  hands  of  the  sword,"  signifies  to  extinguish  the  truths  of  the 
church  through  failure  of  knowledges  of  truth  and  through  falsi- 
ties, "  sons"  are  truths,  "famine"  is  a  failure  of  knowledges,  and 
"sword"  falsity  destroying  truth.  "That  men  may  become  rare,, 
slain  with  death,"  signifies  that  there  is  no  atTe6fion  for  truth  or 
wisdom  therefrom,  "men"  signifying  affedlion  for  truth  and  wis- 
dom therefrom  (see  above,  n.  280).  "Their  young  men  smittea 
with  the  sword  in  war"  signifies  because  truths  have  been  destroyed 
by  the  assaults  of  falsity,  "young  men"  meaning  truths,  "sword" 
falsity  destroying,  and  "war"  assault  of  falsity.     [7.)    In  Ezekiel : 

"  Go  ye  through  "  Jerusalem,"  and  smite  ;  neither  let  your  eye  spare  ; .  . . . 
slay  ye  to  destrudlion  the  old  man,  the  young  man,  and  the  virgin, 
and  the  infant ;  but  come  not  near  against  any  man  upon  whom 
is  the  sign  "  (ix.  5,  6). 

This  was  said  by  "a  man  clothed  in  linen,"  that  is,  by  an  angel,  to 
other  angels,  and  was  heard  by  the  prophet.  It  does  not  mean 
that  they  should  pass  through  Jerusalem,  and  should  smite  and 
slay  to  destruction  old  men,  young  men,  virgins,  and  infants  ;  but 
"Jerusalem"  means  the  church  in  respe6l  to  doctrine,  and  it  is 
meant  that  the  church  is  wholly  vastated  in  respe6l  to  all  the 
goods  and  truths  that  constitute  it;  "old  n":an"  means  wisdom 
which  is  of  good  ;  "  young  man"  irjtelligence  which  is  of  truth  ; 
"virgin"  affection  for  these  ;  and  "infant"  every  good  and  truth  in 
its  beginning,  in  a  particular  sense  the  good  of  innocence,  by  which 
all  things  of  the  church  with  man  are  begotten.  "The  man  {vh-) 
upon  whom  was  the  sign,  and  to  whom  they  should  not  come 
near,"  signifies  truth  from  good.     [8.]    In  the  same, 

"  That  they  may  stone  them  with  stone,  may  cleave  them  with  swords, 
may  slay  their  sons  and  their  daughters,  and  burn  up  their  houses 
with  fire  "  (xxiii.  47). 

This  was  said  of  .Sam;iria  and  Jerusalem,  which  are  here  called 
Oholah  and  Oholibah  ;  by  which  are  signified  the  two  churches, 
namely,  the  spiritual  and  the  celestial,  here  those  churches  wasted 
by  falsities  and  evils.  "  To  stone  with  stone,  and  to  cleaA-e  with 
swords."  signifies  the  destruction  of  truth  by  falsities,  for  "  ston- 


CHAP,    v.,    VKRSE    6.— N.   3I5[r].  549 

mg"  signified  punishment  and  death  because  of  violence  offered 
to  Divine  truth;  "cleaviny^  by  swords"  has  a  like  signification. 
"To  slay  sons  and  daughters"  signifies  to  destroy  all  truths  and 
goods,  "sons"  meaning  truths  and  "daughters"  goods  ;  and  "to 
burn  houses  with  fire"  signifies  to  destroy  all  things  that  are  of 
love  and  charity  by  the  evils  of  the  lo\'e  of  self  and  the  world, 
"houses"  mean  man's  interiors,  thus  the  things  belonging  to  his 
love,  here  that  these  are  destroyed  "fire"  meaning  love,  in  both 
senses.     [9.]  In  yeremiah  : 

"They  have  lain  on  the  earth,  boy  and  old  man  in  the  streets  ;  my  vir- 
gins and  my  young  men  have  fallen  by  the  sword  ;  Thou  hast  slain 
in  the  day  of  Thine  anger,  Thou  hast  not  spared  "  {Lam.  ii.  21). 

Here,  too,  the  church  devastated  is  treated  of.  "  To  lie  on  the  earth 
and  in  the  streets  "  signifies  to  be  destroyed  by  evils  and  falsi- 
ties ;  "boy  and  old  man,  virgins  and  young  men  have  fallen  by 
the  sword,"  signifies  here,  as  above,  all  goods  and  truths  with  in- 
telligence and  wisdom.  "Thou  hast  slain  in  the  day  of  Thine 
anger,  Thou  hast  not  spared,"  signifies  their  extinction,  "the  day 
of  anger"  signifying  the  last  state  of  the  church,  when  judgment 
takes  place.  Slaying,  that  is,  extinguishing  these  things,  is  attrib- 
uted to  Jehovah  ;  but  it  is  man  himself,  the  sense  of  the  letter 
being  such  as  to  attribute  to  Jehovah  what  belongs  to  the  man 

himself  isee  A.C,  n.  2447,  5798,  6071,  6991,  6997,  7533,  7632,  7643,  7679,  7710, 
7877,7926,  8227,  8282,  8483,  8632,  9010,9128,  9306,  I043I). 

[r.]    [lO.]  In  A?nos  : 

"I  will  cut  off  the  judge  out  of  the  midst  "  of  Moab,  "and  will  slay  all 
the  princes  thereof  with  him  "  (ii.  3). 

"Moab"  in  the  Word,  means  those  who  adulterate  the  goods  of 
the  church  ;  the  "judge,"  who  will  be  cut  off,  and  the  "princes," 
who  will  be  slain,  signify  the  good  which  is  adulterated,  and  the 
truths  which  are  thereby  falsified,  "judge"  meaning  good,  and 
"prince"  truth.     [II.]    \n  Zcchariah: 

"  A  voice  of  tne  howling  of  the  shepherds,  that  their  glory  is  laid  waste. 
. .  .  .Thus  said  Jehovah  my  God,  Feed  the  sheep  of  the  slaughter, 
which  their  possessops  slay I  have  fed  the  sheep  of  the  slaugh- 
ter for  your  sakes,  O  miserable  of  the  flock  "  (xi.  3-5,  7). 

"The  sheep  of  the  slaughter"  which  their  possessors  slay,  signify 
those  who  are  in  good,  and  are  led  astray  by  falsities  of  do(5lrine  ; 
those  are  called  "  sheep  "  who  are  in  good  of  charity  ;  "shepherds  '* 
are  those  who  teach  truths,  and  by  means  of  these  lead  to  good. 
[12.1    In  David  : 

"  We  are  slain  every  day ;  we  are  reckoned  as  a  flock  for  slaughter. 
Awake, . . .  O  Lord, . .  .  forsake  us  not  for  ever"  {Fsalm  xliv.  22,  23) 


550  APOCALYPSE   EXPLAINKD. 

"We  are  slain  every  day"  signifies  that  of  ourselves  we  are  con- 
stantly falling  into  falsities,  and  are  being  led  astray  by  them,  espe- 
cially in  a  time  when  falsities  prevail ;  this  makes  clear  what  a 
"  flock  for  slaughter  "  signifies  ;  that  we  may  be  raised  out  of 
falsities  by  the  Lord  is  signified  by  "  Awake, . .  .  O  Lord, . . .  forsake 
us  not  for  ever."     [13.]    In  Ezckicl: 

"  They  shall  draw  the  swords  upon  the  beauty  of  thy  wisdom,  and  they 
shall  defile  thy  brightness.  They  shall  bring  thee  down  into  the 
pit,  and  thou  shalt  die  the  death  of  the  slain  "  (xxviii.  7,  8). 

This  is  said  of  tlie  prince  of  Tyre,  by  whom  is  signified  the  intel- 
ligence that  is  from  knowledges  of  trutli,  here  that  intelligence  ex- 
tinguished by  falsities.  "  To  draw  swords  upon  the  beauty  of  thy 
wisdom"  signifies  its  e.xdn6lion  by  falsities;  "to  bring  down  into 
the  pit"  signifies  immersion  in  falsities  ;  and  "to  die  the  death  of 
the  slain"  signifies  destruction  and  damnation,  the  "slain"  signi- 
fying those  with  whom  all  truth  is  extinguished  iA.c..  n.  4503,  9262), 
and  "death"  signifying  damnation.      [14.]    In  /saia/i  : 

"  Hath  he  smitten  him  according  to  the  stroke  of  him  that  smiteth  him  ? 
Hath  he  been  slain  according  to  the  slaughter  of  his  slain  ?"  (xxvii.  7.) 

This  treats  of  Jacob  and  Israel,  by  whom  the  church  is  signified, 
"Jacob"  the  external  church,  and  "Israel"  the  internal.  The 
temptations  of  those  who  are  of  the  church  are  thus  described, 
which  are  signified  by  "  Hath  he  smitten  him  according  to  the 
stroke  of  him  that  smiteth  him?"  And  that  they  should  not  yield 
and  thus  perish  in  temptations  is  signified  by  "Is  he  slain  accord- 
ing to  the  slaughter  of  the  slain?"  "the  slaughter  of  the  slain" 
signifying  destruction  by  falsities.  [15.]  "Slaughter"  signifies 
destrudtion  and  damnation  in  other  places  in  the  same  prophet, 

"  In  the  day  of  the  great  slaughter  the  towers  shall  fall  "  (xxx.  25). 

"The  day  of  the  great  slaughter"  signifies  the  last  judgment,  when 
the  wicked  are  condemned  and  perish,  "towers"  signifying  doc- 
trines of  falsity.     [16.]    In  the  same, 

"  I  will  kill  thy  root  with  famine,  and  he  shall  slay  thy  remnant"  (xiv.  30). 

This  was  said  respecting  Philistia,  by  which  is  signified  truth  with- 
out good,  or  faith  without  charity.  "  To  kill  the  root  with  famine  " 
signifies  to  perish  utterly  from  having  no  good,  "root"  meaning 
everything  from  which  a  thing  lives  ;  therefore  it  is  added,  "he 
shall  slay  thy  remnant,"  "remnant"  signifying  all  the  remains  of 
the  church.     [17.]   In  Jeremiah  : 

"  I  have  heard  ....  the  voice  of  the  daughter  of  Zion  ;  she  sigheth  and 

spreadeth  her  hands for  my  soul  is  wearied  by  the  slayers" 

(iv.  31)- 


CHAP,    v.,  VKRSK    6. — N.   3  1  5[</J.  55  I 

Thus  is  described  the  grief  of  a  church  that  is  falling  from  truths 
into  falsities.  "  The  daughter  of  Zion  "  is  the  church  ;  "  she  sigh- 
eth  and  spreadeth  her  hands"  signifies  grief;  "for  my  soul  is  wea- 
ried by  the  slayers"  signifies  by  falsities  that  extinguish  spiritual 
life,  "slayers"  meaning  such  falsities, 
[rf.]    [18.]   In.  Isaiah.' . 

"  Behold,  Jehovah  going  forth  out  of  His  place  to  visit  the  iniquity  of 
the  earth.  .  . . ;  then  shall  the  earth  reveal  her  bloods,  and  shall  no 
longer  hide  her  slain"  (xxvi.  21). 

This  is  said  of  the  day  of  visitation  or  judgment,  when  the  iniqui- 
ties of  all  shall  be  uncovered,  which  is  meant  by  "  then  the  earth 
shall  reveal  her  bloods,  and  shall  no  longer  hide  her  slain ;"  the 
"earth  "  signifies  the  church,  here  evil  men  in  the  church  ;  " bloods  " 
are  the  evils  that  have  destroyed  the  goods  of  the  church  ;  and 
the  "slain"  the  falsities  that  have  destroyed  its  truths  ;  whether  it 
be  said  that  the  "slain"  signify  falsities  or  those  who  are  in  falsities, 
it  is  the  same,  for  they  are  in  the  falsities  and  the  falsities  in  them, 
and  the  falsities  in  them  are  what  destroy.  The  same  is  signified 
by  the  "slain"  elsewhere  in  Isaiah: 

"  What  will  ye  do  in  the  day  of  visitation  and  of  desolation  ?  .  .  .  .  They 
shall  fall  beneath  the  slain  "  (x.  3,  4). 

Likewise  in  the  Apocalypse  : 

In  Babylon  "was  found  the  blood  of  the  prophets  and  of  saints,  and  of 
all  that  have  been  slain  upon  the  earth  "  (xviii.  24). 

What  is  here  signified  will  be  seen  in  what  comes  after.  [I9.]  In 
Isaiah  : 

"  I  will  visit  evil  upon  the  world Every  one  that  is  found  shall  be 

thrust  through  ;  and  every  group  shall  fall  by  the  sword"  (xiii.  11, 
15)- 

This  also  is  said  of  Babylon.  That  "every  one  that  is  found  shall 
be  thrust  through  "  signifies  that  they  shall  perish  by  evil ;  and 
that  "every  group  shall  fall  by  the  sword"  signifies  that  they 
.shall  perish  by  falsity.     [20.]    \n  Matthezv : 

Tn  the  end  of  the  age  "they  shall  deliver  you  up  unto  tribulation  and 
shall  slay  you  "  (xxiv.  g). 

In  yohn : 

"  They  shall  put  you  out  of  the  synagogues ;  yea,  the  hour  cometh  that 
any  one  who  slayeth  you  will  think  that  he  ofifereth  holy  worship 
to  God  "  (xvi.  2). 

This  was  said  to  the  disciples ;  and  by  "disciples,"  in  the  spiritual 
representative  sense,  are  meant  all  truths  and  goods  of  the  church  ; 
which  makes  clear  what  is  meant  in  that  sense  by  "  they  shall 


jj2  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

slay  them,"  namely,  that  the  truths  and  goods  of  the  church  shall 
then  be  destroyed.     [21.]    In  Mark: 

In  the  consummation  of  the  age,  "brother  shall  deliver  up  brother  to 
death,  the  father  the  children  ;  children  shall  rise  up  against  pa- 
rents, and  shall  slay  them  "  (xiii.  12). 

The  consummation  of  the  age  is  the  last  time  of  the  church,  when 
falsities  shall  destroy  truths  and  evils  shall  destroy  goods.  "  Broth- 
er," "father,"  and  "children,"  do  not  mean  here  brother,  father, 
and  children,  but  falsity  and  truth,  and  good  and  evil.  "Brother 
shall  deliver  up  brother  to  death"  signifies  that  falsity  shall  destroy 
good ;  in  a  particular  sense,  that  faith  alone  shall  destroy  charity, 
for  faith  in  the  Word  is  called  brother  to  charity.  "The  father 
shall  deliver  up  the  children  to  death  "  signifies  that  the  good  of  the 
church  shall  perish  by  falsities  of  evil,"  "father"  meaning  the  good 
of  the  church,  and  "children"  falsities  of  evil.  "Children  shall 
rise  up  against  their  parents,  and  shall  slay  them,"  signifies  that 
falsities  of  evil  shall  assault  the  goods  and  truths  of  the  church  and 
destroy  them.     [22.]    In  Luke : 

The  man  who  planted  a  vineyard  "  sent  a  servant  that  they  should  give 
him  of  the  fruit  of  the  vineyard ;  but  the  husbandmen  beat  him,  and 
sent  him  away  empty.  Again  he  sent  another  servant ;  and  beat- 
ing him  also, ....  they  sent  him  away  empty.  Again  he  sent  a  third, 
and  wounding  him,  they  cast  him  forth.    Then  said  the  lord  of  the 

vineyard.  What  shall  I  do?    I  will  send  my  beloved  son But 

they  said,  This  is  the  heir;  come  let  us  slay  him. . . .  :  and  casting 
him  out  of  the  vineyard  they  slew  him  "  (xx.  10-16  ;  Afark  xii.  2-9). 

This  is  said  respecting  the  church  instituted  among  the  Jews,  and 
it  describes  the  perversion  and  falsification  by  traditions  and  by 
applications  to  self  of  every  truth  they  had  from  the  Word. 
Every  particular  here  contains  a  spiritual  sense ;  for  whatever  the 
Lord  spake,  He  spake  also  spiritually,  because  from  the  Divine. 
The  "vineyard"  which  the  man  planted,  signifies  a  church  that 
is  in  truths;  the  "servants"  whom  he  sent  thrice,  mean  the 
Word  given  them  through  Moses  and  the  prophets  ;  there  is  men- 
tion of  three  times,  because  "three"  signifies  full  and  complete; 
"their  beating  them,  wounding  them,  and  sending  them  away 
empty  "  from  the  vineyard  signifies  that  thev  falsified  and  perverted 
the  truths  contained  in  the  Word  ;  "to  send  away  empty"  from 
the  vineyard  signifies  that  they  robbed  the  Word  of  its  goods 
and  truths.  "The  beloved  son"  means  the  Lord  in  respedl  to  Di- 
vine truth,  who  is  therefore  called  also  the  Word ;  "they  cast  him 
out  of  the  vineyard  and  slew  him  "  signifies  slaying  not  only  the 
Lord,  but  also  all  Divine  truth  from  Him  (see  also  above,  n.  83). 
123.]    In  Daniel: 


(  ;iAP.  v.,  VERSE  6. — N.  3i6[<i:J.  553 

"After  threescore -and-two  weeks  the  Anointed  One  shall  be  cutoff,  but 
not  for  Himself"  (ix.  26). 

'The  Anointed  One"  also  means  the  Lord  in  i-especl  to  Divine 
truth  (see  .I.e.,  n.  3008,  3009) ;  "  He  shall  be  cut  off"  means  not  only 
Himself  but  also  all  Divine  truth  with  that  people;  "but  not  for 
Himself"  signifies  that  with  those  who  are  in  a  new  church  Divine 
truth  will  live  again,  the  same  as  before  in  the  first  chapter  of  the 
Apocalypse  : 

"I  am  the  Living  One,  and  I  became  dead  ;  and  behold  I  am  alive  unto 
the  ages  of  the  ages  "  (verse  18). 

3l6[w].  "Having  seven  horns"  signifies  who  has  omnipo- 
tence.— This  is  evident  from  the  signification  of  a  "  horn,"  as  mean- 
ing the  power  of  truth  against  falsity,  but  in  reference  to  the  Lord, 
as  meaning  all  power  or  omnipotence.  The  Lamb  was  seen  to 
have  horns  seven  in  number,  because  "seven"  signifies  all  and  it 
is  predicated  of  what  is  holy  (see  above,  n.  257).  A  "  horn  "  and 
"horns"  signify  power,  because  the  power  of  horned  animals,  as 
of  oXen,  rams,  goats,  and  others,  is  in  their  horns.  That  "horn" 
or  "horns"  signify  the  power  of  truth  against  falsity,  and  in  the 
highest  sense,  which  treats  of  the  Lord,  signify  omnipotence,  and 
in  a  contrary  sense  the  power  of  falsity  against  truth,  is  e\'ident 
from  many  passages  of  the  Word ;  and  as  it  is  thus  made  clear 
what  is  signified  in  the  Word  by  "horns,"  so  often  mentioned  in 
Da?iicl,  and  also  in  the  Apocalypse ;  and  as  they  are  still  em- 
ployed in  the  coronation  of  kings,  I  will  quote  the  passages  here. 
[2.]    In  Ezekiel : 

"  In  that  day  I  will  make  a  horn  to  bud  forth  unto  the  house  of  Israel, 
and  I  will  give  thee  the  opening  of  the  mouth  in  the  midst  of  them  ; 
that  they  may  know  that  I  am  Jehovah  "  (xxix.  21). 

"  To  make  a  horn  to  bud  forth  unto  the  house  of  Israel"  signifies 
truth  in  abundance  ;  "  the  house  of  Israel "  is  the  church  ;  because 
this  is  signified  by  "horn,"  and  "its  budding  forth,"  it  is  also  said, 
"and  I  will  give  thee  the  opening  of  the  mouth,"  which  means  the 
preaching  of  truth.     [3.]    In  the  J^irst  Book  of  Samuel : 

"  My  horn  hath  exalted  itself  in  Jehovah  ;  my  rrvouth  is  enlarged  against 

mine  enemies,  because  I  have  rejoiced  in  Thy  salvation He 

shall  give  strength   unto  His   king,  and  shall  exalt    the   horn   of 
His  anointed"  (ii.  i,  10). 

This  is  a  i)rophetical  saying  of  Hannah.  "  Mv  horn  hath  exalted 
Itself  in  Jeht)\ah  "  signifies  that  Divine  tnuh  filled  her,  and  made 
her  powerful  against  falsities ;  and  because  this  is  the  meaning,  it 


554  APOCALVrSE   explainku. 

is  said,  "my  nioiilh  is  enlarged  aijainst  mine  enemies,"  "enlarg- 
ing the  mouth"  is  jireaching  truth  with  power,  and  "enemies"  are 
the  falsities  that  disperse  Divine  truth.  "  He  shall  give  strength 
unto  His  king,  and  shall  exalt  the  horn  of  His  anointed,"  signifies 
the  Lord's  omnipotence  from  Divine  good  by  Divine  truth,  for 
"strength"  in  the  Word  has  reference  to  the  power  of  good,  and 
"horn"  to  the  power  of  truth,  and  "the  anointed  of  Jehovah"  is 
the  Lord  in  respeft  to  the  Divine  Human,  which  has  omnipo- 
tence (see  .I.e..  n.  3008,  3009,  9954).     [4.1    In  David  . 

Jehovah  "hath  exalted  a  horn  for  His  people,  praise  for  all  His  saints, 
for  the  sons  of  Israel,  His  near  people"  {Psalm  cxlviii.  14). 

"He  hath  exalted  a  horn  for  His  people"  signifies  that  He  hath 
filled  with  Divine  truths;  therefore  it  is  said,  "praise  for  His 
saints,  for  the  sons  of  Israel,  His  near  people,"  for  those  are 
called  "  saints  "  who  are  in  Divine  truths,  since  Divine  truth  is  what 
is  called  holy  (see  above,  n.  204).  "  Israel"  is  a  church  that  is  in 
truths,  "sons  of  Israel "  are  truths,"  "a  people"  is  also  predicated 
of  those  who  are  in  truths,  and  a  peoj^le  conjoined  with  the 
Lord  by  truths  is  said  to  be  "near."    [5.]  In  the  same, 

"Jehovah  God  of  hosts,  ....  Thou  art  the  glory  of  their  strength  ;  and 
by  Thy  good  pleasure  Thou  shalt  exalt  our  horn  "  (Ixxxix.  8,  17). 

Here  also  "to  exalt  the  horn"  signifies  to  fill  with  Divine  truth, 
and  thereby  to  give  power  against  falsities  ;  therefore  it  is  said, 
"Jehovah  God  of  hosts.  Thou  art  the  glory  of  their  strength," 
"glory"  in  the  Word  is  predicated  also  of  the  church,  and  of  the 
do6lrine  of  truth  therein.     [6.]    In  the  same, 

"The  good  man  is  compassionate  and  lendeth His  righteousness 

standeth  for  ever  ;   his  horn  shall  be  exalted  with  glory  "  {Psalm 
cxii.  5,  9). 

That  "horn  "  signifies  Divine  truth  is  clear  from  this,  that  it  is  said, 
"  his  righteousness  standeth  fore\-er,  and  his  horn  shall  be  exalted 
with  glory;"  "righteousness"  in  the  Word  is  predicated  of  good, 
and  "horn"  therefore  of  truth  ;  for  in  every  particular  of  the 
Word  there  is  a  marriage  of  good  and  truth  ;  "glory"  also  signi- 
fies Divine  truth.      [7.]    In  Habakkuk : 

"The brightness  "  of  Jehovah  God  "  shall  be  as  the  light ;  He  hath  horns 
coming  out  of  His  hand  ;  and  in  them  is  the  hiding  of  His  strength  " 
(iii.  4). 

Because  ''horns"  signify  Divine  truth  with  power,  it  is  said,  "die 
brightness  of  Jehovah  God  shall  be  as  the  light,"  and  "in  horns 
is  the   hiding  of  His  strength."      "The  brightness  of  Jehovah  " 


CHAP,   v.,   VERSE    6,  —  N.    3l6[^j.  555 

and  "light"  signify  Divine  truth  ;  and  "the  iiiding  of  His  strength 
in  horns"  signifies  the  omnipotence  of  Divine  good  through  Di- 
vine truth,  for  all  power  of  good  is  through  truth,  and  in  Divine 
truth  lies  concealed  the  omnipotence  that  is  of  Divine  good, 
[ft.]    [8.]    In  David  : 

"  I  have  found  David  My  servant ;  with  the  oil  of  holiness  have  I 
anointed  him  :  with  whom  My  hand  shall  be  established  :   Mine  arm 

also  shall  strengthen  him My  truth  and  My  mercy  shall  be 

with  him  ;    and  in   My  name  shall  his  horn  be  exalted  "  {Psalm 
Ixxxix-  20,  21,  24). 

"David"  means  the  Lord  in  respe6l  to  Divine  truth  (see  above, 
n.  205)  ;  and  "  his  horn  shall  be  exalted  "  means  His  Divine  power, 
which  He  has  from  Divine  good  through  Divine  truth  ;  therefore 
it  is  said,  "My  truth  and  My  mercy  shall  be  with  him,"  "mercy" 
in  the  Word,  in  reference  to  Jehovah,  that  is,  the  Lord,  signifies 
the  Divine  good  of  Divine  love.  Because  "David"  means  the 
Lord  in  respe6l  to  Divine  truth  going  forth  from  His  Divine  Hu- 
man, He  is  called  "David  My  servant,"  "servant"  meaning,  in 
the  Word,  not  a  servant  in  the  usual  sense,  but  whatever  serves, 
and  it  is  predicated  of  truth  because  truth  serves  good  for  use, 
here  for  power.     [9.]    In  the  same, 

"  I  will  make  a  horn  to  bud  forth  unto  David  ,  I  will  set  in  order  a  lamp 
for  Mine  anointed"  {Psalm  cxxxii.  17). 

Here  by  "David,"  and  also  by  "anointed,"  the  Lord  in  respe<5t 
to  Divine  truth  is  meant,  and  "making  His  horn  to  bud  forth" 
signifies  the  multiplication  of  Divine  truth  in  the  heavens  and  on 
earth  by  Him  ;  therefore  it  is  said,  "  I  will  set  in  order  a  lamp  for 
Mine  anointed,"  which  has  a  like  meaning.  That  the  Lord  in  re- 
spe6l  to  Divine  truth  going  forth  from  His  Divine  good,  is  called 
a  "lamp,"  see  above  (n.  62).     [lo.]    In  the  .same, 

"Jehovah  my  strength,  .  . .  .my  rock,  my  fortress  ;  my  God,  my  strong 
rock  in  which  I  trust,  my  shield  and  the  horn  of  my  salvation " 
{Psalm  xviii.  i,  2  ;  2  Sam.  xxii.  2,  3). 

"Strength"  and  "rock,"  in  reference,  as  here,  to  Jehovah  or  the 
Lord,  signify  omnipotence  ;  "  fortress  "  and  "  strong  rock,"  in  which 
he  trusts,  signify  defence;  "shield"  and  "horn  of  salvation"  sig- 
nify consequent  salvation  ;  "strength,"  "fortress,"  and  "shield,"  in 
the  Word  are  predicated  of  Divine  good  ;  "rock,"  "stony  rock," 
and  "horn,"  are  predicated  of  Divine  truth  ;"  therefore  these  sig- 
nify omnipotence,  defence,  and  salvation,  which  are  from  Divine 
good  through  Divine  truth.     [11.]    In  Luke  : 

"  Blessed  be  the  Lord  God  ot  Israel ;  for  He  hath  visited  and  redeemed 


556  APocAi.vi'si':  iixim-ainki;. 

His  people,  and  halh  raised  up  a  horn  of  salvation  in  the  house  of 
David ; .  . . .  that  he  might  save  us  from  our  enemies  "  (i.  08,  69,  71). 

This  is  a  i)iophccy  of  Zecharias  respe6ting  the  Lord  and  His  com- 
ing. "A  horn  of  salvation  in  the  house  of  David  '  signifies  om- 
nipotence to  save  by  Divine  truth  from  Divine  good,  "horn"  is 
such  omnipotence;  "the  house  of  David"  is  the  Lord's  church; 
"the  enemies"  from  which  He  should  save  are  falsities  of  evil, 
for  these  are  the  enemies  from  which  the  Lord  saves  those  who 
receive  Him  ;  it  is  known  that  there  were  no  other  enemies  from 
which  the  Lord  saved  Jthose  who  are  here  meant  by  His  people. 
[12.]    In  Micah: 

"  Rise  and  thresh,  O  daughterof  Zion,  for  I  will  make  thy  horn  iron,  and 
I  will  make  thy  hoofs  brass,  that  thou  mayest  beat  in  pieces  many 
peoples  "  (iv.  13). 

"Rise  and  thresh,  O  daughter  of  Zion,"  signifies  the  dispersion 
of  evil  with  those  who  are  of  the  church,  "to  thresh"  is  to  dis- 
perse, and  "daughter  of  Zion"  is  a  church  that  is  in  affe(5i;ion  for 
good.  "I  will  make  thy  horn  iron"  signifies  Divine  truth  mighty 
and  powerful ;  "I  will  make  thy  hoofs  brass"  has  a  like  meaning, 
^' hoofs"  meaning  truths  in  outmosts.  "That  thou  mayest  beat  in 
pieces  many  peoples"  signifies  that  thou  mayest  scatter  falsities, 
for  "peoples"  are  predicated  of  truths,  and  in  a  contrary  sense,  of 
falsities.     [D3.]    In  Zechariah  : 

"  I  saw,  and  behold  four  horns, ....  the  horns  that  have  scattered  Judah, 
Israel,  and  Jerusalem.  He  showed  me  four  smiths, ....  and  He 
said.  These  horns  that  have  scattered  Judah,  so  that  no  man  lifteth 
up  his  head ;  these  have  come  to  terrify  them,  to  cast  down  the 
horns  of  the  nations  that  lift  up  the  horn  against  the  land  of  Ju- 
dah to  scatter  it"  (i.  18-21). 

This  describes  the  vastation  of  the  church,  and  its  subsequent  re- 
storation. "Judah,"  "Israel,"  and  "Jerusalem,"  signify  the  church 
and  its  doctrine  ;  "the  horns  that  scattered  them"  signify  falsities 
of  evil  that  have  vastated  the  church  ;  "  smiths"  signify  the  same 
as  iron,  namely,  truth  in  outmosts,  which  is  mighty  and  powerful, 
thus  the  same  as  "  horn  of  iron  ;"  therefore  it  is  said  of  them,  "  these 
have  come  to  cast  down  the  horns  of  the  nations  that  lift  up  the 
horn  against  the  land  of  Judah,"  the  "horns  of  the  nations"  are 
falsities  of  evil  that  have  vastated  the  church,  and  that  are  to  be 
dispersed  that  it  may  be  restored.     [14.]    In  Lamentatiotis  : 

"  The  Lord  ....  hath  thrown  down  in  His  wrath  the  strongholds  of  the 
daughter  of  )udah  ;  He  hath  cast  them  down  to  the  earth  ;  He  hath 
profaned  the  kingdom  and  the  princes  thereof ;  He  hath  cut  off  in 
the  wrath  of  His  anger  every  horn  of  Israel "  (ii.  2,  3). 

Here  a  total  vastation  of  the  church  is  treated  of    The  last  time 


CHAP,   v.,   VERSK   6. — \.  3l6[i].  557 

Avhen  it  was  laid  waste  is  signified  by  the  wrath  of  the  Lord's  an- 
ger ;  and  its  total  vastation  is  described  by  "  He  hath  tiirown 
down  the  strongholds  of  the  daughter  ol  ju  lah.  He  hath  cast  them 
down  to  the  earth.  He  hath  profaned  t.i  ■  kingdom  and  the 
princes  thereof,"  "the  daughter  of  Judah"  is  tin-  church,  "her 
strongholds"  are  truths  from  good,  "the  kingdom  and  princes" 
are  its  truths  of  do6lrine  ;  which  makes  clear  what  is  signified  by 
^'He  hath  cut  off  every  horn  of  Israel,"  namely,  the  cutting  off  all 
power  of  truth  in  the  church  to  resist  falsities  of  evil. 
[Co]    [15.]  In  Da7iiel  : 

Daniel  saw  in  a  dream  "  four  beasts  coming  up  out  of  the  sea  :"....  the 
fourth  exceedingly  strong,  having  teeth  of  iron  ;  it  devoured  and 
brake  in  pieces  ;  and  it  had  ten  horns  :  "and  1  gave  heed,  and  be- 
hold another  little  horn  came  up  among  them,  and  three  of  the 
former  horns  were  plucked  up  by  the  roots  before  it  ;  in  this  horn 
were  eyes  like  the  eyes  of  a  man,  and  a  mouth  speaking  great  things. 
....  I  saw  that  this  horn  made  war  with  the  saints,  and  prevailed 
against  them  ;  . . . ,  and  that  it  spake  words  against  the  Most  High." 
"As  to  the  ten  horns,  they  are  ten  kings,.  . .  .and  it  shall  humble 
three  kings"  (vii.  3,  7,  8,  21,  23,  25). 

Here  evidently  "  horns  "  mean  falsities  that  destroy  the  truths  of  the 
church,  or  the  power  of  falsities  against  truths  ;  "  the  beast  coming 
up  out  of  the  sea"  signifies  the  love  of  self  out  of  which  spring  all 
evils  ;  here  the  love  of  ruling  over  heaven  and  earth,  to  which  things 
holy  are  made  subservient  as  means  ;  it  is  such  a  love  that  is  meant 
by  "  Babylon  "  in  the  Apocalypse.  This  beast  was  seen  "  coming  up 
out  of  the  sea,"  because  the  "sea"  signifies  the  natural  man  sepa- 
rated from  the  spiritual ;  for  the  natural  man  is  then  of  such  a  char- 
acter that  he  desires  nothing  so  much  as  to  hax'e  dominion  overall, 
and  to  confirm  that  dominion  by  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word. 
"  The  ten  horns  "  signify  falsities  of  every  kind,  for  "  ten  "  means  all  ; 
therefore  it  is  further  said,  that  "the  ten  horns  are  ten  kings," for 
"kings"  signify  truths,  and  in  a  contrary  sense,  as  here,  falsities. 
"The  little  horn  that  came  up  among  them,  before  which  three  of 
the  former  horns  were  plucked  up  by  the  roots,"  signifies  a  complete 
perversion  of  the  Word  by  the  application  of  the  sense  of  its  letter 
to  confirm  the  love  of  dominion.  This  horn  is  called  "little,"  be- 
cause it  does  not  appear  that  the  Word  is  perverted  ;  and  what 
does  not  appear  before  the  sight  of  man's  spirit,  that  is,  before  his 
understanding,  is  regarded  either  as  nothing,  or  as  little.  In  the  spir- 
itual world  such  is  the  appearance  of  things  that  are  apprehended 
by  a  few  only.  "The  three  horns  that  were  plucked  up  by  the 
roots  before  it,"  signify  the  truths  of  the  Word  there  that  have  been 
thus  destroyed  by  falsifications ;  these  truths  are  also  signified  by 
the  "three  kings"  that  were  humbled  by  the  horn,  "three"  not 


558  APOCALYPSK  kxplain;;i). 

meaning  three,  but  what  is  lull,  thus  tliat  trulhs  were  completely 
destroyed.  As  that  "horn"  signifies  the  perversion  of  the  Word 
in  respe6l  to  the  sense  of  its  letter,  and  as  this  sense  appears 
before  the  eyes  of  men  as  if  it  were  to  be  understood  thus  and  not 
otherwise,  and  therefore  not  to  be  gainsaid  by  any  one,  it  is  said 
of  this  horn,  "  that  in  it  there  were  eyes  like  the  eyes  of  a  man,  and 
a  mouth  speaking  great  things,"  "eyes"  signify  understanding, 
and  "eyes  like  the  eyes  of  a  man"  understanding  as  if  of  truth, 
and  "  mouth"  signifies  thought  and  speech  from  that  understand- 
ing. From  this  it  can  now  be  seen  what  is  meant  by  all  and  by 
each  of  the  things  here  mentioned;  as  by  "the  beast  coming  up 
out  of  the  sea,  that  had  ten  horns  and  teeth  of  iron,  and  devoured 
and  brake  in  pieces;"  by  "the  little  horn  that  came  up  among 
them,  before  which  three  of  the  horns  were  plucked  up  b}'  the 
roots,  in  which  were  eyes  like  the  eyes  of  a  man,  and  a  mouth 
speaking  great  things  ;"  also  by  "  it  made  war  with  the  saints  and 
prevailed  against  them,"  and  "  it  spake  words  against  the  Most 
High  ;"  and  "the  horns  were  so  many  kings."    [16.]  In  the  same, 

"  I  saw  in  a  vision  ....  a  ram  tliat  iiad  two  horns,  and  the  horns  were 
high;  but  one  was  higher  than  the  other,  and  the  higher  had  come 
up  behind.  It  was  pushing  westward,  northward,  and  southward, 
....  Then,  behold,  a  he-goat  of  the  goats  came  from  the  west  over 
the  faces  of  the  whole  earth  ;   he  had  a  conspicuous  horn  between 

his  eyes He  charged  upon  the  ram  in  the  fury  of  his  strength, 

....  and  he  bralie  his  two  horns, ....  and  he  cast  him  down  to  the 
ground  and  trampled  upon  him But  the  great  horn  of  the  he- 
goat  was  broken  ;  and  in  place  of  it  there  came  up  four  toward  the 
four  winds  of  the  heavens.  Presently  out  of  one  of  them  came  forth 
a  little  horn,  which  grew  exceedingly  towards  the  south,  and  to- 
wards the  east,  and  towards  beauty.  And  it  grew  even  to  the  host 
of  the  heavens  ;  and  it  cast  down  some  of  the  host  to  the  ground, 
....  and  trampled  upon  them.  Yea,  even  to  the  prince  of  the  host 
it  exalted  itself;.  .  .  .and  the  dwelling  of  his  sancftuary  was  cast 
down because  it  cast  down  truth  to  the  earth  "  (viii.  2-12,  21,  25). 

This  describes  a  second  thing  that  lays  waste  the  church,  namely, 
faith  alone.  The  "ram"  signifies  good  of  charity  and  faith  there- 
from, and  the  "he-goat"  faith  separate  from  charity,  that  is, 
faith  alone,  or,  what  is  the  same,  those  who  are  in  these ;  their 
"horns"  signify  truths  from  good  and  falsities  from  evil,  combat- 
ing ;  truths  from  good  are  meant  by  the  horns  of  the  ram,  and 
folsitics  from  evil  by  the  horns  of  the  he-goat.  That  the  "  ram 
had  two  high  horns,  one  higher  than  the  other,  and  the  higher 
came  up  behind,"  signifies  truth  of  faith  from  good  of  charity;  and 
this  was  seen  according  to  the  influx  of  good  and  truth  with  man 
and  spirit ;  for  all  good  is  received  behind,  and  all  truth  in  front, 
as  the  cerebellum  is  formed  to  receive  good  which  is  of  the  will,. 


CHAP,    v.,   VERSE   6. — N.   3l6[^].  559 

and  the  cerebrum  to  receive  truth,  which  is  of  the  understanding-. 
"Westward,  northward,  and  southward,"  toward  which  the  ram 
juishod,  signify  the  goods  and  truths  that  those  receive  who  are 
in  charity  and  in  fliith  therefrom,  by  which  they  disperse  evils 
and  falsities.  "The  he-goat  of  tlie  goats  that  came  [from  the  west] 
over  the  faces  of  the  whole  earth"  signifies  faith  sejxu'ate  from 
charity,  springing  from  evil  of  Hfe ;  "the  he-goat  of  the  goats"  is 
that  faith;  the  "west"  evil  of  Hfe;  and  "the  earth"  the  church. 
"  He  had  a  conspicuous  horn  between  the  eyes  "  signifies  that  this  is 
from  self- intelligence  ;  "  he  charged  upon  the  ram  in  the  fury  of  his 
strength,  ....  and  brake  his  two  horns,  ....  and  cast  him  down  to 
the  ground,  and  trampled  upon  him,"  signifies  the  entire  destruc- 
tion of  charity  and  of  faith  therefrom,  for  when  charity  is  destroyed 
faith  also  is  destroyed,  for  the  latter  is  from  the  former.  "The  great 
horn  of  the  he-goat  was  broken,  and  in  place  of  it  there  came  up 
four  toward  the  four  winds  of  the  heavens,"  signifies  all  falsities 
conjoined  with  evils  therefrom,  "horns"  signifying  falsities  of  evil, 
"four"  their  conjunction,  and  "the  four  winds  of  the  heavens"  all, 
both  falsities  and  evils.  "  Out  of  one  of  them  came  forth  a  little 
horn"  signifies  justification  by  faith,  for  this  is  born  of  the  principle 
of  faith  alone  ;  it  is  said  to  be  "  little  "  because  it  does  not  appear  as 
a  falsity.  That  this  horn  "  grew  exceedingly  towards  the  south,  and 
towards  the  east,  and  towards  beauty,  and  grew  even  to  the  host 
of  heavens,  and  cast  down  some  of  the  host  to  the  ground,  and 
trampled  upon  them,"  signifies  that  it  destroyed  all  the  truths  and 
goods  of  the  church  ;  "  the  south"  meaning  where  truth  is  in  the 
light,  "the  east"  and  "beauty"  where  good  is  in  clearness  by 
truth,  "the  host  of  the  heavens"  all  truths  and  goods  of  heaven 
and  the  church;  "to  cast  down  the  host  to  the  ground,  and  to 
trample  upon  them,"  signifies  to  destroy  utterly  ;  that  "even  to  the 
{)rince  of  the  host  it  exalted  itself,"  and  that  "the  dwelling  of  his 
sanctuary  was  cast  down,"  signifies  the  denial  of  the  Lord's  Di- 
vine Human,  and  consequent  vastation  of  the  church.  "  The 
prince  of  the  host"  is  the  Lord  in  respect  to  the  Divine  Human, 
because  from  that  go  forth  all  truths  and  goods  that  constitute 
the  church  ;  "the  dwelling  of  the  sancftuary"  is  the  church  where 
these  are  ;  this  plainly  means  truths  destroyed  by  falsities,  for  it  is 
said,  "  it  cast  down  truth  to  the  earth."  That  this  is  the  signi- 
ficance of  the  "ram,"  and  the  "he-goat,"  and  "their  horns,"  is 
clearly  manifest  from  appearances  in  the  spiritual  world  ;  for  when 
such  as  have  confirmed  themselves  in  the  doClrine  of  faith  alone 
and  of  justification  by  faith,  dispute  there  with  those  who  are  in. 
the  do6lrine  of  charity  and  of  faith  therefrom,  there  appear  to. 


560  Al'OCALYPSli    KXl'LAlAhU. 

Others  who  stand  afar  off  he-goats,  or  a  he-goat  with  liorns,  as  de- 
scribed, and  with  Hke  onset  and  I'ury  against  rams  or  a  ram,  and  he 
appears  also  to  tread  the  stars  under  his  feet.  These  tilings  ha\e 
been  seen  by  me  also,  and  at  the  same  time  by  those  standing  by, 
to  whom  it  was  a  proof  that  such  things  are  meant  in  Daniel ; 
and  that  like  things  are  meant  also  by  "  the  sheep  on  the  right 
hand,  and  the  goats  on  the  left"  {Matt.  xxv.  32  to  the  end), 
namely,  by  "sheep"  those  who  are  in  good  of  charity,  and  by 
"goats"  those  who  are  in  faith  alone.  From  these  quotations 
from  Daniel  it  can  be  seen  in  some  measure  what  is  signified  in 
the  Apocalypse  by 

The  dragon  that  was  seen  having  ten  horns  (xii.  3) ; 

The  beast  that  was  seen  coming  up  out  of  the  sea,  which  also  had  ten 
horns  (xiii.  i). 

The  woman  that  was  seen  sitting  upon  a  scarlet-colored  beast,  that  had 
seven  heads  and  ten  horns ;  respecfting  which  the  angel  said, 
"The  ten  horns  that  thou  sawest  are  ten  kings  "  (xvii.  3,  7,  12) ; 

but  these  tilings  will  be  explained  hereafter. 

[f/.]  [17.]  That  the  power  of  falsity  against  truth  is  signified 
by  "horn"  or  "horns"  is  evident  also  from  the  following  pas- 
sages.    In  Jeremiah: 

"The  horn  of  Moab  is  cut  off,  and  his  arm  is  broken  "  (xlviii.  25). 

"  Moab"  signifies  those  who  are  in  spurious  goods,  and  in  falsified 
truths  therefrom,  which  in  themselves  are  falsities.  The  destruc- 
tion of  these  falsities  is  signified  by  "  The  horn  of  Moab  is  cut  oft," 
and  the  destru6f  ion  of  these  evils  by  "  his  arm  is  broken.' '  [18.]  In 
Lamentations  : 

Jehovah  "hath  caused  the  enemy  to  rejoice  over  thee  ;  He  hath  exalted 
the  horn  of  thine  adversaries  "  (ii.  17). 

Evil  is  meant  by  "enemy,"  and  falsities  of  evil  by  "adversaries ;" 
"  exalting  the  horn  of  adversaries  "  is  falsities  prevailing  over  truths 
and  destroying  them.     [19.]    In  Ezekiel : 

"Ye  thrust  with  side  and  with  shoulder,  and  push  all  the  sick  sheep 
with  your  horns  till  ye  have  scattered  them  abroad"  (xxxiv.  21). 

"  To  thrust  with  side  and  with  shoulder"  is  with  all  strength  and 
endeavor  ;  to  "  push  the  sick  sheep  with  horns  till  ye  have  scattered 
them  abroad"  signifies  to  destroy  by  falsities  the  well-disposed, 
who  are  not  yet  in  truths  from  good,  and  yet  desire  to  be.  [20.]  In 
Amos  : 

"  In  the  day  that  I  shall  visit  the  transgressions  of  Israel  upon  him,  I 
will  vinit  u-)on  the  altars  of  Bethel,  that  the  horns  of  the  altar 
may  be  rut  off,  and  fall  to  the  ground  "  (iii.  14). 


CHAP,  v.,   VKRSE    6. — N.   3l6[fl!'].  561 

"The  altars  of  Bethel'  si<^iiify  worship  Irom  evil,  and  "the  horns 
of  the  altar  "  signify  the  falsities  of  that  evil ;  and  that  these  are  to 
be  destroved  is  signified  by  "  the  horns  shall  be  cut  off  and  fall  to 
the  ground."     [21.]    In  the  same, 

"They  who  rejoice  over  a  thing  of  nought;  who  say,  Have  we  not 
taken  to  us  horns  by  our  own  strength?"  (vi.  13.) 

"To  take  horns  by  our  own  strength"  signifies  by  the  powers  of 
self-intelligence  to  acquire  falsities  by  which  truths  will  be  de- 
stroyed.    [22.]    In  David  : 

"I  said  unto  the  boastful,  Boast  not  ,  and  to  the  wicked,  Lift  not  up  the 
horn  ;  Lift  not  up  your  horn  on  high  ;  speak  not  with  a  stiff  neck, 
. . .  .All  the  horns  of  the  wicked  will  I  cut  off  ;  the  horns  of  the 
righteous  shall  be  exalted  "  (Psalm  Ixxv.  4,  5,  10). 

"Lifting  up  the  horn  on  high"  signifies  to  defend  vigorously  fals- 
ity against  truth  ;  therefore  it  is  also  said,  "speak  not  with  a  stiff 
neck."  "To  cut  off  their  horns"  signifies  to  destroy  their  falsi- 
ties ;  and  "  to  exalt  the  horns  of  the  righteous"  signifies  to  make 
powerful  and  strong  the  truths  of  good.  [23.]  Because  "  making- 
high  and  exalting  horns"  .signifies  to  fill  with  truths,  and  to  make 
them  powerful  and  strong  against  falsities,  those  truths  are  also 
called  "the  horns  of  a  unicorn,"  because  these  are  high.  As  in 
Moses : 

"The  first-born  of  his  ox,  honor  is  his,  and  his  horns  are  the  horns  of  a 
unicorn  ;  with  them  he  shall  push  the  peoples  together  to  the  ends 
of  the  earth  :  and  they  are  the  ten  thousands  of  Ephraim,  and  they 
are  the  thousands  of  Manasseh  "  {Dent,  xxxiii.  17). 

This  is  said  of  Joseph,  who  in  the  highest  .sense  represents  the 
Lord  in  respe6l  to  the  Divine  spiritual,  that  is,  in  respect  to  Divine 
truth  in  heaven;  from  this  "Joseph"  signifies  also  those  who  are 
in  the  Lord's  spiritual  kingdom  (see  A.c.  n.  3969,  3971,  4669,  6417). 
"The  first-born  of  the  ox,  honor  is  his,"  signifies  the  good  of 
spiritual  love;  "his  horns  are  the  horns  of  a  unicorn"  signifies 
truths  in  their  fulness,  and  in  their  power  therefrom  ;  "to  push  the 
peoples  to  the  ends  of  the  earth"  signifies  to  instrucl  in  truths  all 
who  are  of  the  church,  and  to  scatter  falsities  by  means  of  truths ; 
"the  ten  thousands  of  Ephraim  and  the  thousands  of  Manas.seh  " 
signify  the  plenty  and  abundance  of  truth  and  of  wisdom  there- 
from and  the  plentv  and  abimdance  of  good  and  of  lo\e  there- 
from ;  "Ephraim,"  in  the  Word,  signifying  the  intelle6lual  of  the 
church,  which  is  of  truth,  and  "Manasseh"  the  voluntary  of  the 
church  which  is  of  good  (seo  .i.e..  n.  3969,  5354.  6222,  6234,  6238,  6267, 
6296);  and  "ten  thousands"  and  "thousands"  signifying  very 
many,  thus  plenty  and  abundance.     [24.]    In  David  : 


562  APOCALYl'sr:    KXPLAINED. 

"Save  me  from  the  lion's  mouth;  and  from  the  horns  of  the  unicorns 
hear  me  "  {Psalm  xxii.  21)  ; 

"  lion"  signilyiiii;'  falsity  vehemently  destroying  truth  ;  and  "horns 
of  unicorns  "  truths  that  prevail  against  falsities.    [25.]  In  the  same, 

"  My  horn  [hast  thou  exalted]  like  the  horn  of  a  unicorn  "  {/'sa/w  xcii. 
10): 

"like  the  horn  of  a  unicorn"  signifying  truth  in  its  fulness  and 
power.     [26.]    In  the  Apocalypse  : 

"And  the  sixth  angel  sounded,  and  I  heard  a  voice  from  the  four  horns 
of  the  golden  altar  which  is  before  God"  (ix.  13). 

The  altar  of  incense,  which  was  called  also  "  the  golden  altar,"  was 
a  representative  of  the  hearing  and  reception  of  all  things  of  wor- 
ship that  are  from  love  and  charity  from  the  Lord,  thus  a  repre- 
sentative of  such  things  of  worship  as  are  raised  up  by  the  Lord  ; 
'■  the  horns  of  the  altar  "  represented  truths  going  forth  from  good 
of  love  ;  this  makes  clear  why  a  voice  was  heard  from  the  four 
horns  of  the  altar,  for  it  is  through  truths  that  good  acts  and 
speaks.  [27.]  Altars  had  horns  for  the  reason  that  altars  repre- 
sented worship  of  the  Lord  from  good  of  love,  and  all  worship 
that  is  truly  worship  is  offered  from  the  good  of  lo\'e  by  truths. 
That  the  altar  of  incense  had  horns  is  seen  in  Moses  : 

Thou  shalt  make  four  horns  upon  the  altar  of  incense  ;  they  shall  be 
from  it.  And  thou  shalt  overlay  them  with  gold  {Exod,  xxx.  2,  3, 
10  ;  xxxvii.  25,  26)  ; 

and  the  altar  of  burnt- offering  elsewhere  in  the  same, 

"Thou  shalt  make  horns  upon  the  four  corners  of  the  altar  of  burnt- 
offering  ;  its  horns  shall  be  from  it  "  {Exod.  xxvii.  2  ;  xxxviii.  2). 

That  the  horns  were  from  the  altar  itself  signified  that  truths,  which 
the  horns  represented,  must  go  forth  from  good  of  lo\'e,  which  the 
altar  itself  represented,  for  all  truth  is  from  good.  That  there  were 
four  horns,  one  at  each  corner,  signified  that  they  were  for  the  four 
quarters  in  heaven,  by  which  all  things  of  truth  from  good  are 
signified.  [28.]  Since  all  expiations  and  purifications  are  effe6ted 
by  truths  from  good,  expiation  was  made  upon  the  horns  of  the 
altars. 

Upon  the  horns  of  the  altar  of  incense  {Exod.  xxx.  10  ;  Lev.  iv.  7) ; 
And  upon  the  horns  of  the  altar  of  burnt  offering  {Lev.  iv.  25,  30,  34  ; 
viii.  15  ;  ix.  g  ;  xvi.  18). 

And  as  all  Divine  prote6lion  is  by  truths  from  good, 

Those  who  committed  evils  and  were  m  fear  of  death  caught  hold  of  the 
horns  of  the  altar  and  were  thus  protecfted  (i  Kings  i.  50,  51,  5; 


CHAP,   v.,  VERSE   6. — N.   3IcS.  563 

When  those  who  purposely  and  wilfully  committed  evil  were  not  so  pro- 
teded  (i  A'ings  ii.  28-31). 

Moreover,  because  "  horns  "  signified  truths  from  good,  when  kings 
were  anointed  this  was  done  by  oil  out  of  a  horn. 

That  David  was  so  anointed,  see  i  Sa»i.  xvi.  i,  1 3  ; 
And  Solomon,  1  A'ings  i.  39  ; 

the  "  oil "'  signifying  good  of  love.  From  this  signification  of  horns, 
well  known  to  the  ancients,  it  was  customary  to  make  horns  bear- 
ing fruits  and  flowers ;  from  this  came  the  word  c'ornucopia. 
^  317«  "  And  seven  eyes"  '^x^^m'ix^^  and  who  has  omniscience.  - 
This  is  evident  from  the  signification  of  "seven  eyes," as  meaning, 
in  reference  to  the  Lord,  omniscience;  for  as  "eyes"  in  reference 
to  man  signify  the  understanding,  so  in  reference  to  the  Lord  they 
signih'  omniscience.  That  "  eyes"  in  reference  to  man  signify  the 
understanding,  and  in  reference  to  the  Lord  providence,  as  also 
Di\'ine  wisdom  and  intelligence,  which  is  omniscience,  see  above, 
(n.  152).  "Seven  eyes"  are  mentioned,  because  "seven"  signi- 
fies all  things,  and  is  predicated  of  what  is  holy  (as  above). 

318.  "Which  are  the  seven  spirits  of  God,  sent  forth  into  all 
the  earth,"  signifies  that  all  zvisdom  and  intelligence  in  heaven 
and  in  the  chnrch  are  therefrom . — This  is  evident  from  the  signi- 
fication of  "  the  seven  spirits  of  God,"  as  meaning  Divine  truth 
going  forth  from  the  Lord  (of  which  above,  n.  183)  ;  and  as  they 
signify  Di\'ine  truth  going  forth  from  the  Lord,  they  also  signify 
the  Divine  wisdom  or  omniscience.  It  is  evident  also  from  the 
signification  of  "sent  forth  into  all  the  earth,"  as  meaning  that  this 
is  the  source  of  all  wisdom  and  intelligence  in  heaven  and  in  the 
church.  "To  be  sent  forth"  signifies  to  be  communicated,  and 
"all  the  earth"  signifies  the  church  both  in  the  heavens  and  on 
earth  (see  above,  n.  304).  This  makes  clear  why  it  is  said  that 
"the  seven  eyes  of  the  Lamb  were  the  seven  spirits  of  God,  sent 
forth  into  all  the  earth,"  for  "seven  eyes"  signify  the  omniscience 
that  the  Lord  has  from  Divine  good  through  Divine  truth.  From 
this  are  all  wisdom  and  intelligence,  because  man  cannot  from 
himself  understand  truth  and  relish  good,  but  only  from  the  Lord  ; 
and  all  wisdom  and  intelligence  are  of  truth  from  good.  Unless 
wisdom  and  intelligence  be  formed  from  good,  they  are  not  wis- 
dom and  intelligence,  but  folly  and  insanity,  which  appear  to  the 
ignorant  and  the  evil  like  wisdom  and  intelligence,  because  of 
their  being  able  to  speak  and  reason  from  the  memory.  For 
what  is  man's  own  {propHum)  is  nothing  but  evil  and  falsity;  his 
own  voluntarv  ( pr.^prinm  eji/s  rofun/arium)  is  e\'il.  and  his  own  Intel- 


5  )4  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

le(?tual  therefrom  {proprium  ejus  inteUcauaie)  is  falsity  ;  whatever  there- 
fore is  from  man's  own  (ex  propria)  is  contrary  to  wisdom  and  intel- 
ligence ;  and  what  is  contrary  to  wisdom  is  folly,  and  what  is 
contrary  to  intelligence  is  insanity.  From  this  it  can  be  seen  that 
unless  man  is  raised  up  1)\-  the  Lord  from  his  selfhood  {a  suo 
propria),  whicli  is  donc  wiicn  he  receives  Divine  truth  not  only 
in  the  memory  but  also  in  the  life,  it  is  utterly  imj)Ossible  for  him 
to  be  wise  and  intelligent.  But  this  c^levation  by  the  Lord  from 
the  selfhood  [a  propria)  is  not  apparent  to  man,  nor  is  it  perceived 
by  him  while  he  is  in  the  world,  but  it  first  becomes  apparent  when 
he  comes  into  his  spirit,  and  this  takes  place  when  his  si)irit  has 
been  separated  from  his  material  body  ;  but  even  then  it  is  per- 
ceived only  by  those  who  come  into  heaven.  It  is  said  7visdom 
and  intelligence,  because  wisdom  is  of  truth  from  good,  for  man 
then  relishes  good  in  truth  ;  but  intelligence  is  of  truth  through 
which  good  comes,  for  then  man  has  not  yet  a  relish  for  good  in 
truth,  but  is  affected  b}'  truth  because  it  is  truth.  Those  who  are  in 
the  Lord's  celestial  kingdom  are  in  wisdom,  because  they  are  in 
truths  from  good  ;  but  those  who  are  in  the  Lord's  spiritual  king- 
dom are  in  intelligence,  because  they  are  in  truths  through  which 

good  comes.  (But  of  those  who  are  in  truths  through  which  good  comes,  see 
Doctrine  of  the  Xeju  yeriisalem,  n.  23  ;  and  of  those  who  are  in  truths  from  good,  n. 
24;  and  of  the  celestial  kingdom  and  the  spiritual  kingdom,  Heaven  and  Hell,  n, 
20-28.) 

319.  [ Verse  7]  "And  he  came  and  took  the  boo!:  out  o-f  the 
right  hand  of  Him  that  sat  upon  the  throne"  signifies  tliat  these 
things  are  from  His  Divine  Human.- — This  is  evident  from  the 
signification  of  "the  Lamb,"  who  took  the  book  out  of  the  right 
hand  of  Him  that  sat  upon  the  throne,  as  meaning  the  Lord  in 
respe6l  to  the  Divine  Human  (see  above,  n.  314);  "the  right 
hand  of  Him  that  sat  upon  the  throne"  meaning  the  Lord  in  re- 
spe6l  to  omnipotence  and  omniscience  (see  also  above,  n.  297, 
298[a,i^]).  From  this  it  is  that  "He  came  and  took  the  book  out 
of  the  right  hand  of  Him  that  sat  upon  the  throne"  signifies  that 
these  are  from  the  Divine  Human.  Omnipotence  and  omniscience 
are  meant  for  the  further  reason  that  this  is  what  is  here  treated  of, 
as  can  be  seen  from  the  preceding  words,  that  "  the  Lamb  had 
seven  horns  and  seven  eyes;"  "the  seven  horns"  signifying  om- 
nipotence, and  "the  seven  eyes"  omniscience  (see  just  above,  n. 
3i6[<7,/^],  317),  and  "the  Lamb"  the  Divine  Human  (n.  314).  That 
omnipotence  and  omniscience  belong  to  the  Lord's  Divine  Human, 
can  be  seen  from  what  has  been  said  and  shown  abo\'e  (n.  10,  26, 
32,  49,  52,  63,  77,  82,  97,  113,  114,  135,  137.  151.  178-  200,  205 
end,  209,  254,  297,  309). 


CHAP,    v.,    VERSE    8. — N.    321.  565 

VERSES  8-10. 

320«  "And  when  He  had  taken  the  book,  the  four  animals  and  the  four-and-twenty 
elders  fell  down  before  the  Lamb,  having  every  one  harps,  and  golden  bowls  full  of  incense, 
which  are  the  prayer::  of  the  saints.  And  they  were  singing  a  new  song,  saying.  Worthy 
art  Thou  to  take  the  book,  and  to  open  the  seals  thereof;  for  Thou  wast  slain,  and  didst 
redeem  us  to  God  in  Thy  blood,  out  of  every  tribe  and  tongue,  and  people  and  nation.  And 
Thou  didst  make  us  unto  our  God  kings  and  priests  :  and  we  shall  reign  upon  the  earth." 

S.  "  And  when  He  had  taken  the  book  "  signifies  a/Zer  acknowledgment  that  the 
Lord's  Human  is  Diviiie,  and  has  omnipotence  and  omniscience  [n. 
321]  ;  "the  four  animals  and  the  four-and-twenty  elders  fell  down 
before  the  Lamb"  signifies  acknowledgment  and  consequent  glorification 
of  the  Lord  by  angels  of  the  higher  heavens  [n.  322]  ;  "having  every 
one  harps  "  signifies  confession  from  spiritual  t7-uths  [n.  323]  ;  "and 
golden  bowls  full  of  incense"  signifies  confession  /rom  spiritual  goods 
[n.  324]:  "which  are  the  prayers  of  the  saints"  signifies /;-(7/w  which 
is  worsliip  [n.  325]. 

9.  "And  they  were  singing  a  new  song"  signifies  acknowledgment  and  confes- 
sion from  Joy  of  heart  [n.  326] ;  "saying.  Worthy  art  Thou  to  open  the 
book  and  to  loose  the  seals  thereof"  signifies  that  the  Lord  from  the 
Divine  Human  has  omnipotence  and  omniscience  [n.  327];  "for  Thou 
wast  slain,  and  didst  redeem  us  to  God  in  Thy  blood,"  signifies  separa- 
tion of  all  from  the  Divine,  and  conjunction  with  the  Divine  by  ac- 
knowledgment of  the  Lord,  and  by  reception  of  Divine  truth  from  Hitn 
[n,  328,  329]  ;  "out  of  every  tribe  and  tongue"  signifies  by  all  who 
are  in  truths  in  respedl  to  docfirine  and  in  respetfl  to  life  [n.  330]  ;  "and 
people  and  nation"  signifies  who  are  of  the  Lord's  spiritual  chttrch  and 
of  His  celestial  church  [n.  331]. 
10.  "And  didst  make  us  unto  our  God  kings  and  priests  "  signifies  that  from  the 
Lord  these  are  in  the  truths  and  goods  of  the  cfiurch  and  of  heaven  [n. 
332]  ;  "and  we  shall  reign  upon  the  earth"  signifies  the  power  that 
belongs  to  the  Lord  alone  through  Divine  truth  united  to  Divine  good, 
and  power  and  wisdom  therefrom  that  those  have  who  crre  of  the  Lord's 
spiritual  and  celestial  kingdoms  [n.  333]. 

321*  [  Ferses.]  "And  when  He  had  taken  the  book"  signifies  after 
acknowledgment  that  the  Lord's  Human  is  Divine,  and  has  om- 
nipotence and  oinnisci€7ice. — This  is  evident  from  the  connetlion 
in  the  internal  sense,  since  this  is  the  subje6l  treated  of  just  before 
(see  n.  3i6[a/]-3i9)  ;  and  in  what  now  follows  this  is  acknow- 
ledged, and  on  this  account  the  Lord  is  celebrated  and  glorified  ; 
and  as  this  celebration  and  glorification  is  a  living  acknowledg- 
ment that  the  Lord's  Human  is  Divine,  and  has  omnipotence  and 
omniscience,  and  this  acknowledgment  now  follows,  this  is  signified 
by  "when  He  had  taken  the  book."  Glorification  of  the  Lord  (in 
what  now  follows)  takes  place  in  this  order  :  first,  by  angels  of  the 
higher  heavens  ;  then  by  angels  of  the  lower  heavens  ;  and  lastly, 
by  those  who  are  beneath  the  heavens.  Glorification  of  the  Lord 
by  angels  of  the  higher  heavens  is  contained  in  verses  8-10 ;  glo- 
rification of  the  Lord  by  angels  of  the  lower  heavens  in  verses  1 1 , 
12 ;  and  glorification  by  those  who  are  beneath  the  heavens  in 
verse  1 3  ;  but  of  this  more  particularly  in  what  follows. 


56<^>  APocAi.vi'si-,  i:xri.AiNi:i) 

322.    "  The  four  animals  and  the  four-and-twenty  elders  fell 

down  before  the  Lamb"  si^nities  ack)unK'lcd:^))nnt  a)id  coiscquoit 
glorification  of  (he  Lord  by  angels  of  the  higher  heavens. — This 
is  e\ident  from  the  signification  of  "  the  four  animals  and  the  four- 
and-twenty  elders,"  as  meaning,  in  general,  the  whole  heaven,  but 
I  in  particular  the  inmost  heavens,  consequently  angels  of  the  In'gher 
heavens  (of  which  see  above,  n.  3i3[';]) ;  here  in  j)articular  the  an- 
gels of  those  heavens,  because  in  what  follows  there  is  glorifica- 
tion by  angels  of  the  lower  heavens.  Also  from  the  signification 
of  "fell  down  before  the  Lamb,"  as  meaning  acknowledgment 
from  a  humble  heart.  That  "to  fall  down"  signifies  humiliation, 
;ind  m  that  state  reception  and  acknowledgment  of  heart,  see  above 
(n.  290).  Acknowledgment  of  the  Lord's  Divine  Human  is  clearly 
meant,  for  that  is  signified  by  "the  Lamb"  (see  above,  n.  314). 
What  the  higher  heavens  are,  and  what  the  lower  heavens  are, 
shall  be  told  in  a  few  words.  There  are  three  heavens  :  the  third 
or  inmost  heaven  is  where  the  angels  are  who  are  in  celestial  love  ; 
the  second  or  middle  heaven  is  where  the  angels  are  who  are  in 
spiritual  love  ;  the  first  or  outmost  hea\'eri  is  where  the  angels  are 
who  are  in  sj^iritual-natural  love.  The  third  or  inmost  heaven  is 
conjoined  with  the  second  or  middle  by  intermediate  angels,  who 
are  called  celestial -spiritual  and  spiritual-celestial  angels  ;  these 
intermediate  angels,  together  with  the  angels  of  the  third  or  in- 
most heaven  constitute  the  higher  heavens  ;  while  the  remainder 
of  those  in  the  second  or  middle  heaven,  together  with  those  who 
are  in  the  first  or  outmost  heaven,  constitute  the  lower  heavens. 
The  "four  animals"  signify  specifically  the  third  or  inmost  heaven, 
and  the  "four-and-twenty  elders"  the  second  or  middle  heaven 
that  is  in  conjun6lion  with  the  third  or  inmost ;  thus  together  they 
signify  the  higher  hea\'ens.  Respecting  intermediate  angels,  called 
celestial-spiritual  and  spiritual-celestial,  and  the  conjun6tion  of 
the  third  heaven  with  the  second  by  these,  see  Arcana  Caeles- 
tia  (n.  1577,  1824,  2184,  4047,  4286,  4585,  4592,  4594,  6435,  6526,  87S7,  8802, 
9671). 

323[#i;].  "Having  every  one  harps"  signifies  confession  from 
spiritual  trutJis. — This  is  evident  fi'om  the  signification  of  a  "harp," 
as  meaning  confession  from  spiritual  truths.  This  is  signified  by 
"harps,"  because  the  harp  was  a  stringed  instrument,  and  by  such 
instrumentaspiritual  things,  that  is.ihose  that  are  of  truth,  are  sig- 
nified, while  wind  instruments  signify  celestial  things,  or  those  that 
are  of  good.  Such  things  are  signified  by  musical  instruments 
because  of  their  sounds,  for  sound  corresponds  to  the  afifeClions ; 


CHAP,   v.,  VERSE    8. — N.  323[<5J.  567 

moreover,  in  heaven  affe6lions  are  perceived  by  sounds ;  and  be- 
cause there  are  various  affections,  and  various  sounds  are  produced 
by  musical  instruments,  these  instruments,  by  correspondence  and 
consequent  agreement,  sii^nify  affe61ions.  In  g-eneral,  stringed  in- 
struments signify  such  things  as  belong  to  affections  for  truth,  and 
wind  instruments  such  as  belong  to  affections  for  good  ;  or,  what  is 
the  same,  some  instruments  belong  to  the  spiritual  class,  and  some 
to  the  celestial  class.  That  sounds,  and  also  musical  tones,  corre- 
spond to  affections  has  been  made  evident  to  me  by  much  expe- 
rience ;  also  that  angels  arc  affe6led  in  accordance  with  sounds  and 
their  variations  ;  but  to  recite  all  such  experience  in  passing  would 
occupy  too  much  space.  I  will  mention  only,  what  is  a  matter  of 
general  ob.servation,  that  separated  sounds  excite  affections  for 
truth,  that  is,  those  are  affected  by  them  who  are  in  affeCtions  for 
truth  ;  while  continuous  sounds  excite  affections  for  good,  that  is, 
those  are  affeCted  by  them  who  are  in  affections  for  good.  Whether 
you  say  affeCtions  for  truth  or  things  spiritual,  it  is  the  same,  or 
whether  you  say  affeCtions  for  good  or  things  celestial,  it  is  the 

same.  (But  these  things  can  be  better  comprehended  from  what  has  been  re- 
lated from  experience  respedling  sounds  and  their  correspondence  with  affedtions, 
in  Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  241.) 

[&•]  From  all  this  it  can  now  be  seen  why  in  the  Word,  and 
especially  in  David,  so  many  kinds  of  musical  instruments  are 
mentioned,  as  psalteries,  harps,  flutes,  cymbals,  timbrels,  horns, 
organs,  and  others,  namely,  that  it  is  because  of  their  correspond- 
ence with  affections,  and  at  the  the  same  time  with  articulations 
that  are  expressions  containing  realities,  and  flowing  from  them. 
[2.]  That  harps  especially  signify  affeCtions  for  truth,  because  they 
excite  such  affeCtions,  consequently  that  they  signify  confession 
made  by  spiritual  truths  with  a  joyous  heart,  can  be  seen  from  the 
following  passages.     In  Isaiah  : 

"The  new  wine  shall  mourn,  the  vine  shall  languish,  all  the  glad-hearted 
shall  sigh.     The  joy  of  timbrels  shall  cease,  the  noise  of  the  merry 
shall  cease  ;  the  joy  of  the  harp  shall  cease.     They  shall  not  drink 
,  wine  with  a  song  "  (xxiv.  7-9). 

This  treats  of  the  vastation  of  the  spiritual  church,  that  is,  of  the 
good  and  truth  thereof.  Spiritual  good,  which  is  about  to  cease, 
is  signified  by  "the  new  wine  shall  mourn,"  and  "the  joy  of  tim- 
brels shall  cease  ;"  and  that  its  truth  is  about  to  cease  is  signified 
by"  the  vine  shall  languish,"  and  "  the  joy  of  the  harp  shall  cease  ;" 
for  "new  wine"  signifies  spiritual  good,  and  its  joy  is  signified  by 
the  "timbrel;"  and  the  "vine"  signifies  spiritual  truth,  and  its 
joy  is  signified  by  the  "harp."     Since  it  is  affeCtion  for  these  that 


568  AP(3CALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

is  about  to  cease,  it  is  said,  "all  the  glad-hearted  shall  sigh,"  and 
"the  noise  of  the  merry  shall  cease;"  "gladness"  and  "mirth"  in 
the  Word  sicfnifying-  spiritual  gladness  and  mirth  of  all  kinds,  which 
(ire  from  affec^tions  for  truth  and  good.  It  is  added,  "they  shall 
not  drink  wine  with  a  song,"  because  "song"  signifies  exhibition 
oi  «gladness  from  affection  for  truth,  and  "wine"  signifies  truth. 
1 3.]    In  David: 

"Confess  unto  Jehovah  upon  the  harp  ;  sing  praises  unto  Him  upon  a 
psaltery  of  ten  strings.  Sing  unto  Him  a  new  song;  play  skilfully 
with  a  loud  noise.  For  the  word  of  Jehovah  is  right ;  and  all  His 
work  is  done  in  truth  "  {Psalm  xxxiii.  2-4). 

As  a  "harp"  signifies  confession  from  spiritual  truths,  it  is  said, 
"confess  unto  Jehovah  upon  the  harp."  "A  psaltery  of  ten 
strings"  signifies  corresponding  spiritual  good;  therefore  it  is 
said,  "sing  praises  unto  Him  upon  a  psaltery  often  strings  ;"  and 
for  the  same  reason  it  is  said,  "for  the  word  of  Jehovah  is  right, 
and  all  His  work  is  done  in  truth,"  "the  word  of  Jehovah  is 
right"  signifying  truth  of  good,  "all  His  work  is  done  in  truth" 
signifying  good  of  truth  ;  truth  of  good  is  the  truth  that  goes 
forth  from  good,  and  good  of  truth  is  the  good  which  is  brought 
forth  by  truth.     [4.]    In  the  same, 

"  Send  Thy  light  and  Thy  truth,  let  them  lead  me ;  let  them  bring  me 
unto  the  mountain  of  Thy  holiness,  and  to  Thy  habitations, .... 
that  I  may  confess  unto  thee  upon  the  harp,  O  God,  my  God" 
{Psalm  xliii.  3,  4) ; 

the  "harp"  evidently  signifying  confession  from  spiritual  truths, 
for  it  is  said,  "  I  will  confess  unto  Thee  upon  the  harp,  O  God, 
my  God;"  and  it  is  also  said  before,  "send  Thy  light  and  Thy 
truth  ;  let  them  lead  me."     [5.]    In  the  same, 

"  I  will  confess  unto  Thee  with  the  psaltery,  even  Thy  truth,  O  my  God  ; 
unto  Thee  will  I  sing  upon  the  harp,  O  Holy  One  of  Israel "  {Psalm 
Ixxi.  22). 

As  the  "psaltery  "  signifies  spiritual  good,  that  is,  the  good  of 
truth,  and  the  "harp"  spiritual  truth,  that  is,  truth  of  good,  and 
confession  is  made  from  each,  it  is  said,  "  I  will  confess  unto  Thee 
with  the  psaltery  ;  unto  Thee  will  I  sing  upon  the  harp."  [6.]  In 
the  same, 

"  I  will  sing,  and  I  will  sing  praises.     Awake  me,  my  glory,  awake  me, 

psaltery  and  harp I  will  confess  unto  Thee,  O  Lord,  among 

the  nations,  I  will  sing  praises  unto  Thee  among  the  peoples" 
{Psalm  Ivii.  8,  9 ;   cviii.  2,  3). 

Confession  and  glorification  from  good  of  truth  or  from  spiritual 
good,  and  from  truth  of  good  or  from  spiritual   truth,  are  ex- 


CHAP,  v.,  VERSE    8. — N.   223[/Jj.  569 

pressed  in  these  several  things,  good  of  truth  by  "singing,"  "be- 
ing awaked  by  the  psaltery,"  and  "  confessing  among  the  nations  ;" 
and  truth  of  good  by  "singing  praises,"  "being  awaked  by  the 
harp,"  and  "singing  i)raises  among  the  peoples;"  for  "nations" 
in  the  Word  mean  those  who  arc  in  good,  and  "peoples"  those 
who  are  in  truth  ;  here,  those  in  spiritual  truth.  It  is  so  written 
because  where  good  is  treated  of  in  the  Word,  truth  also  is  treated 
of,  and  this  because  of  the  marriage  of  these  in  every  particular  of 
the  Word  (see  above,  n.  238  at  end,  288[/^]).     [7.]    In  the  same, 

"  Answer  unto  Jehovah  by  confession  ;  sing  praises  upon  the  harp  unto 

our  God  "  {Psalm  cxlvii.  7). 

Here  also  confession  from  spiritual  good  and  from  spiritual  truth 
is  expressed  by  "  answer  unto  Jehovah  by  confession,"  and  "sing 
praises  upon  the  harp  unto  our  God ;"  from  spiritual  good  by 
"answer  unto  Jehovah  ;"  and  from  spiritual  truth  by  "sing  praises 
upon  the  harp  unto  God;"  "Jehovah"  being  used  where  good  is 
treated  of,  and  "God"  where  truth  is  treated  of  (See  ^.C,  n.  709, 
732,  2586,  2769,  2807, 2822,  3921,  4287,  4402,  7010,  9167.)     [8.]    In  Ezekiel : 

"  I  will  cause  the  noise  of  thy  songs  to  cease  ;  and  the  voice  of  thy  harps 
shall  be  no  more  heard  ;  I  will  give  thee  to  the  dryness  of  a  rock  " 
(xxvi.  13,  14). 

This  is  said  of  Tyre,  which  signifies  the  church  in  respe6f  to  know- 
ledges of  good  and  truth.  Its  vastation  is  described  by  these  words  \ 
vastation  in  respedl  to  knowledges  of  good  by  "I  will  cause  the 
noi.^e  of  thy  songs  to  cease ;"  and  vastation  in  respedl:  to  know- 
ledges of  truth  by  "  the  voice  of  harps  shall  be  no  more  heard  ;" 
deprivation  of  all  truth  by  "I  will  give  thee  to  the  dryness  of  a 
rock,"  "rock"  signifying  truth,  and  "its  dryness"  deprivation. 
[9.]    In  David : 

"  Make  a  loud  noise  unto  Jehovah,  all  the  earth  ;  break  forth,  shout  for 
joy,  and  sing.  Sing  unto  Jehovah  with  the  harp ;  with  the  harp, 
and  the  voice  of  a  song.  With  trumpets  and  the  sound  of  a  cornet^ 
make  a  loud  noise  before  the  King,  Jehovah"  {Psalm  xcviii.  4-6). 

The  various  kinds  of  affections  from  which  the  Lord  is  confessed 
and  glorified  are  here  depifted  by  various  kinds  of  sounds  and 
instruments;  the  various  kinds  of  .sounds  in  "making  a  loud 
noise,"  "breaking  forth,"  "shouting  for  joy,"  and  "singing,"  and 
the  various  kinds  of  instruments,  as  "harps,"  "trumpets,"  and 
"  cornets  ;"  but  to  explain  the  signification  of  each  is  not  of 
importance  here,  but  only  what  relates  to  the  harp.  "To  sing 
unto  Jehovah  with  the  harp,  with  the  harp  and  the  voice  of  a 
song,"  signifies  confession  from  an  affe6lion  for  spiritual  good 


570  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

and  truth  ;  for  every  affection,  since  it  is  from  love,  when  it  falls 
into  sound,  produces  a  sound  in  accord  with  itself;  consequently 
from  the  sound  that  is  in  the  speech,  and  in  which,  as  it  were,  the 
expressions  of  speech  tlow,  one's  affection  is  heard  and  thus 
becomes  known  to  his  associate ;  this  is  manifestly  so  in  the 
spiritual  world,  where  all  sounds  of  speech  make  manifest  affec- 
tions.    [lO.]    So  elsewhere  in  David,  as  the  following: 

"  Shout  for  joy  to  God  our  strength  ;  make  a  joyful  noise  to  the  God  of 
Jacob.  Lift  up  the  song  and  strike  the  timbrel,  the  pleasant  harp, 
with  the  psaltery.  Blow  the  cornet  at  the  new  moon"  {Psalm 
Ixxxi.  1-3). 

"  It  is  good  to  confess  unto  Jehovah,  and  to  sing  unto  Thy  name,  O 
Most  High  ;. . .  .with  an  instrument  of  ten  strings,  and  with  the  psal- 
tery ;  with  a  solemn  sound  upon  the  harp  "  {Psalm  xcii.  1-3). 

"Let  the  sons  of  Zion  exult  in  their  King  ;  let  them  praise  His  name  in 
the  dance  ;  let  them  sing  praises  unto  Him  with  the  timbrel  and 
harp"  (Psalm  cxlix.  2,  3). 

"  Praise  "  God  "  with  the  sound  of  the  cornet ;  praise  Him  with  psal- 
tery and  harp;  praise  Him  with  timbrel  and  dance;  praise  Him 
with  stringed  instruments  and  organ.  Praise  Him  with  cymbals 
of  soft  sound;  praise  Him  with  cymbals  of  loud  sound"  {Psalm 
cl.  3-5). 

[c]  [II.]  Because  musical  instruments  and  also  dances  sig- 
nified varieties  of  joy  and  gladness  that  spring  from  affe6lions, 
as  well  as  these  affe6lions  of  the  mind  which  their  sounds  excite, 
both  singly  and  in  combination, 

"  David  and  the  whole  house  of  Israel  played  before  Jehovah  upon 
wooden  instruments  of  every  kind,  and  upon  harps,  and  with  psal- 
teries, and  with  timbrels  ;  and  on  sistra,  and  on  cymbals"  (2  Sam. 
vi.  5)- 

[12.]  Because  the  "  harp  "signifies  confession  from  spiritual  truths  ; 
and  spiritual  truths  are  those  by  which  angels  who  are  in  the 
Lord's  spiritual  kingdom  are  affected,  and  which  disperse  falsities 
of  evil,  and  with  these  the  spirits  who  are  in  them,  so 

"When  the  evil  spirit  was  upon  Saul,  David  took  a  harp  and  played 
with  his  hand;  so  rest  was  given  to  Saul,.... and  the  evil  spirit 
departed  from  him"  (i  Sa?>t.  xvi.  23). 

This  was  done  because  kings  represented  the  Lord  in  respe^l  to 
the  spiritual  kingdom,  and  therefore  signified  spiritual  truths  (see 
above,  n.  3i[<J])  ;  but  Saul  then  represented  the  falsities  that  are 
opposed  to  these  truths  ;  and  these  were  dispersed  by  the  sound 
of  a  harp,  because  "harp"  signified  a  spiritual  affe6f:ion  for  truth. 
This  then  took  place  because  with  the  sons  of  Israel  all  things 
were  representative  and  thus  significative ;  it  is  otherwise  at  this 
day.  From  the  passages  here  quoted  it  can  be  seen  what  the 
■'  harp  "  signifies  in  other  places  also  the 


CHAP,  v.,  VERSE    8. — N.  324[aJ.  57  1 

(as  Isaiah  xxx.  31,  32  ;  Psalm  xlix.  3,  4  ;  cxxxvii.  1,  2  ;  i  Sam.  x.  5  ;  Apoc. 
xiv,  2  ;  xviii.  22  ;   Job  xxx.  31). 

[13.]  As  most  things  in  the  Word  have  also  a  contrary  meaning, 
so  do  musical  instruments,  in  which  sense  they  signify  varieties 
of  gladness  and  joy  that  spring  from  affe6lions  for  falsity  and 
evil;  thus  "harp"  signifies  confession  of  falsity  and  consequent 
exultation  over  the  destruction  of  truth.     As  in  Isaiah: 

"  At  the  end  of  seventy  years  the  song  of  Tyre  shall  be  even  as  the  song 
of  a  harlot ;  take  an  harp,  walk  in  the  city,  thou  harlot  delivered 
to  forgetfulness ;  play  elegantly,  multiply  the  song"  (xxiii.  15,  16). 

"Tyre"  signifies  the  church  in  respe6l  to  knowledges  of  spiritual 
truth  and  good  (as  was  said  above),  here  the  church  in  which 
these  are  falsified;  "harlot"  signifies  falsification  of  truth  (see 
above,  n.  141)  ;  and  "to  take  a  harp,  walk  in  the  city,"  "play  ele- 
gantly, and  multiply  the  song,"  signifies  the  exultation  and  boast- 
ing of  falsity  over  the  destruction  of  truth.     [14.]    In  the  same, 

"Woe  to  them  that  rise  at  the  dawn  of  the  morning  that  they  may  follow 
strong  drink  ;  to  them  that  tarry  until  twilight  till  wine  inflame 
him.  And  the  harp  and  the  psaltery  and  the  timbrel  and  pipe  and 
wine  are  at  their  feasts ;  but  they  do  not  look  upon  the  work  of 
Jehovah,  and  they  see  not  the  working  of  His  hands"  (v.  11,  12). 

Here  "harp,"  "psaltery,"  "timbrel,"  "pipe,"  and  also  "wine," 
have  the  contrary  meaning,  in  which  they  signify  exultations  and 
boastings  from  the  falsities  of  evil.  Such  is  evidently  the  meaning, 
for  it  is  said,  "Woe  to  them ;  they  do  not  look  upon  the  work  of 
Jehovah,  and  they  see  not  the  working  of  His  hands." 

324[f«].  " And  golden  bowls  full  of  incense"  signifies  coyifes- 
sionfrom  spiritual  goods. — This  is  evident  from  the  signification 
of  "  golden  bowls,"  which  are  also  called  "  censers,"  and  "  incense- 
boxes,"  as  meaning  truths  from  good;  for  "bowls,"  like  all  con- 
taining vessels,  signify  truths,  and  "gold,"  of  which  they  were 
made,  signifies  good,  therefore  "golden  bowls"  are  truths  from 

good.  (That  "  vessels  "  signify  truths,  because  truths  serve  good  as  recipient  and 
containing  vessels,  see  A.C.,  n.  3068,  3079,  3316,  3318  ;  also  "  the  vessels  of  the  al- 
tars," "  of  burnt-offering,"  and  "  of  incense,"  n.  9723,  9724  ;  and  that  "  gold  "  sig- 
nifies good,  above,  n.  2if2\a,d,e\.)  It  is  evident  also  from  the  significa- 
tion of  "incense,"  as  meaning  those  things  of  worship  that  are 
done  from  spiritual  good,  that  is,  from  good  of  charity,  and  are 
therefore  gratefully  perceived.  Such  things  are  signified  by  "in- 
cense," because  all  things  that  were  instituted  in  the  Israelitish 
nation  were  representative  of  celestial  and  spiritual  things  ;  so  also 
were  the  things  relating  to  odor  ;  things  of  pleasant  odor  repre- 
sented  pleasant    perception,  but    those  of  unpleasant   odor  un- 


57-'  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

pleasant  perception.  On  this  account  incense  was  made  of 
fragrant  .sj)ices,  nivrrh,  on\cha,  galbanum,  and  frankincense. 
iMt)reo\er,  there  is  a  correspondence  between  odor  and  perception, 
as  can  be  seen  from  this,  that  in  the  spiritual  world,  where  all 
things  perceived  by  the  senses  correspond,  capacity  to  perceive 
good  and  truth  is  made  sensible  as  fragrance  from  pleasant  odors, 

and  vice  vet'Sa,  (respedting  this  see  what  is  shown  from  e.Kperiente,  A.C.,  n.  1514, 

1517-1519,  1631,  4626,  4628,  4630,  4631,  5711-5717).  From  this  it  is  that  in 
the  common  language  of  men,  to  smell  means  to  perceive  ;  for  such 
expressions,  like  many  others,  have  come  into  human  discourse 
Irom  correspondence  ;  for  the  spirit  of  man  is  actually  in  the  spir- 
itual world,  although  man  is  not  conscious  of  it.  Moreover,  the 
capacity  to  perceive  that  man  has,  is  what  produces  in  his  body  the 
sense  of  smell,  and  this  too  from  correspondence.  But  this  is  an 
arcanum  that  can  hardly  be  credited,  because  it  has  been  hitherto 
unknown.  It  is  to  be  noted  that  this  sweet  smell  or  fragrance  is 
produced  by  the  good  of  love  and  charity,  but  by  means  of  truth, 
not  by  good  itself  without  truth,  still  less  by  means  of  the  truth  that 
is  called  truth  of  faith  without  good  ;  for  good  without  truth  has  no 
ability  to  perceive,  neither  has  truth  without  good.  [2.]  "  Incense  " 
signifies  those  things  of  worship  that  are  done  from  spiritual  good, 
because  spiritual  good  has  its  origin  in  and  existence  from  celestial 
good,  which  good  is  good  of  love  to  the  Lord  from  the  Lord, 
and  is  therefore  the  very  good  of  heaven,  for  that  good  is  imme- 
diately from  the  Lord,  and  the  Lord  is  with  angels  in  that  good  as 
in  what  is  His.  This  is  so  far  true  that  whether  you  say  that 
the  Lord  is  in  them  and  they  in  the  Lord,  or  that  the  Lord  is  with 
them  in  that  good  and  the)^  are  in  the  Lord  when  in  that  good,  it 
is  the  same.  Spiritual  good,  which  has  its  origin  in  and  existence 
from  celestial  good,  is  the  good  of  charity  towards  the  neighbor  ; 
worship  from  this  good  is  what  is  signified  by  "incense."  As  all 
worship  of  the  Lord  comes  from  good,  although  through  truths, 
and  as  there  are  two  universal  goods  that  make  the  heavens  and 
distinguish  them  into  two  kingdoms,  namely,  celestial  good,  which 
is  good  of  love  to  the  Lord,  and  spiritual  good,  which  is  good  of 
charity  towards  the  neighbor,  so  with  the  sons  of  Israel  there  were 
two  altars,  one  for  burnt-offerings,  the  other  for  incense-offerings  ; 
the  altar  of  burnt-offering  signifying  worship  from  the  good  of 
celestial  love,  and  the  altar  of  incense  worship  from  the  good  of 
spiritual  love :  this  makes  clear  what  was  represented  by  "  in- 
cense." 


CHAP,   v.,  VKRSK    <S.  —  N.   324[/;].  573 

[6.]    [3.;   That  tliis  is  so  can   be  seen   from  j)as.sages  in  tlie 
Word  where  tlie  two  are  ineiitioiied.     As  in  Moses: 

"Thou  shall  make  an  altar  lo   burn  incense  upon  ;.  .  .  .and    thou   shalt 

overlay  it  with  pure  '.old and  thou  shalt  jut   it  before  the  veil 

that  is  over  the  ark  of  thf  tcsliniony,  betore  the  mercy-seat 

And  Aaron  sliall  burn  thereon  incense  of  spices  every  morning, 
when  dressing  the  lamps  he  shall  burn  it,  and  in  making  the  lamps 
to  ascend  between  the  evenings  he  shall  burn  it,  a  perpetual  incense 
before  lehovah  throughout  your  generations.  Ye  shall  make  no 
strange  incense  to  ascend  thereon,  nor  burnt  sacrifice,  nor  meal 
offerin'::,  nor  drink  offering"  {ExoJ.  xxx.  i-io). 

That  this  "altar,"  and  the  "burning  incense"  upon  it,  signified 
worship  from  spiritual  good,  is  evident  froin  its  ha\ing-  been 
placed  in  the  tent  of  meeting  without  the  veil,  where  also  w  ere 
the  lamps  ;  and  the  tent  sigtiified  the  Lord's  spiritual  kingdom  ; 
while  that  part  of  the  tent  that  was  within  the  veil  signified  the 
Lord's  celestial  kingxlom,  as  can  be  seen  from  what  is  shown  in 
Arcana  Caelestia  (n.  9457.  9481,  9485)  respeding  the  tent,  in  which 
was  the  table  for  the  bread  of  faces,  and  in  which  was  the  altar  of 
incense  and  the  lampstand,  also  respecting  the  ark,  in  which  was 
the  testimony,  and  upon  which  was  the  mercy-seat  (n.  9457,  9481, 
•9485, 10545).  It  is  there  shown  that  the  things  that  were  in  the  tmt 
without  the  veil,  namely,  the  lampstand,  the  altar  of  incense,  and 
the  table  for  the  bread,  signified  such  things  as  are  of  the  spiritual 
kingdom,  all  of  which  have  reference  to  spiritual  good  and  its 
truth.  Tlip  "  table,"  upon  which  w  as  the  bread  of  faces,  signified  the 
reception  of  celestial  good  in  spiritual  good  (see  n.  9527)  ;  the  "lamp- 
stand"  with  the  "lamjis"  signified  the  spiritual  itself  of  that  king- 
<iom  (n.  9548,  9551,  9556.  9561,  9572,  9783)  ;  the  "altar  of  incense  "  signi- 
fied worship  from  spiritual  good  ;  and  because  worship  from  spir- 
itual good  was  signified  by  burning  incense  upon  that  altar,  and 
the  spiritual  itself  by  the  "lampstand,"  it  was  commanded  that 
Aaron  should  burn  incense  upon  it  every  morning  and  evening, 

when  he  dressed  the  lamps.  (But  these  things  are  more  fully  explained 
in  A.C.,  n  10176-10213,  where  every  particular  is  treated  of.)  [4.]  And  be- 
cause spiritual  good  has  its  origin  in  and  existence  from  celestial 
good  (as  was  said  above),  not  only  was  that  altar  placed  near  the 
veil  that  was  over  the  ark,  but  it  was  commanded  that  when  Aaron 
should  make  atonement  for  himself  and  for  his  house,  he  should 
bring  the  incense  within  the  veil,  which  signified  influx,  commun- 
ication, and  conjun6lion  of  celestial  good  and  spiritual  good. 
Of  this  it  is  thus  written  in  Moses  : 

"When  Aaron.  .  .  .shall  make  an  atonement  for  himself  and  for  his  house 


574  ArOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

he  shall  kill  the  bullock  of  the  sin-offering  ;....  and  he  shall  lake 
a  censer  full  of  burning  coals  of  fire  from  off  the  altar  before  Je- 
hovah, and  his  hands  full  of  incense  of  spices,  and  he  shall  bring 
it  within  the  veil,  that  he  may  put  the  incense  upon  the  fire  before 
Jehovah ;  and  the  cloud  of  the  incense  shall  cover  the  mercy-seat 
that  is  upon  the  testimony,  that  he  die  not"  {Lev.  xvi.  11-13). 

That  "he  should  take  tire  from  off  the  altar  of  burnt  offering,"  and 
"should  put  incense  upon  the  fire,"  signified  that  sjMritual  good, 
which  is  the  good  of  charity,  has  existence  and  goes  forth  from 
celestial  good,  which  is  the  good  of  love  to  the  Lord  (that  the  "  fire  of 

the  altar"  signified  that  good,  see  A.C.,  n.  4489,  6314,  6832,  9714,  and  elsewhere). 

This  is  why  the  fire  for  burning  incense  was  taken  from  the  altar 
of  burnt  offering  only.  When  Aaron  made  atonement  for  him- 
self and  his  house  he  was  to  burn  the  incense  within  the  veil, 
because  Aaron  as  chief  priest  represented  the  Lord  in  respe6l  to 
good  of  love,  and  by  his  functions  he  represented  the  things  that 
go  forth  from  that  good,  all  of  which  relate  to  spiritual  good ; 
spiritual  good,  unless  it  is  from  celestial  good,  is  not  good  ;  except 
for  this  Aaron's  fun(5i:ion  could  not  have  been  from  the  Divine, 
that  is,  could  not  have  represented  anything  of  the  Divine  ;  and 
this  is  why  Aaron  was  threatened  with  death  unless  he  did  as  he 
was  commanded.  [5.]  For  the  same  reason  Nadab  and  Abihu, 
sons  of  Aaron,  were  consumed  by  fire  from  heaven  because  they 
burnt  incense  from  other  fire  than  the  fire  of  the  altar  of  burnt- 
offering,  which  is  offering  worship  from  a  love  other  than  love  to 
the  Lord  ;  respe6ling  which  it  is  thus  written  in  Moses  : 

"  Nadab  and  Abihu,  sons  of  Aaron,  took  each  of  them  his  censer  and 

put  strange  fire  therein,  and  laid  incense  thereon Therefore 

fire  went  out  from  before  Jehovah  and  devoured  them,  and  they 
died,"  and  afterwards  "  they  were  carried  without  the  camp  "  {Lev. 
X.  1-5). 

"They  were  carried  without  the  camp"  signified  that  their  wor- 
ship was  not  from  heaven,  because  not  from  love  to  the  Lord  ;  for 
"the  camp  of  the  sons  of  Israel"  represented  heaven  and  the 
church  (see  A.c,  n.  4236,  10038).  [6.]  Korah,  Dathan,  and  Abiram. 
with  their  company,  were  swallowed  up  by  the  earth,  although 
they  took  fire  from  the  altar  and  burnt  incense,  because  "their 
murmuring  against  Moses  and  Aaron"  signified  profanation  of 
the  good  of  celestial  love  ;  for  "  Moses"  and  "Aaron"  represented 
the  Lord;  and  "to  murmur"  (that  is,  to  rebel)  against  the  Lord 
and  at  the  same  time  to  perform  holy  offices,  is  profanation  ;  but  as 
they  took  the  fire  from  the  altar,  that  fire  was  cast  out,  and  their 
censers  were  made  into  a  covering  for  the  altar  ;  respecting  which 
it  is  thus  written  in  Moses  : 


CHAP,   v.,   VERSE    8. — N.   324[fJ.  575 

Moses  said  to  them  that  they  should  take  fire  and  put  it  into  their  cen- 
sers, which  was  done ;  but  they  were  swallowed  up  {Num.  xvi.  i 
to  end). 

But  afterwards  it  was  commanded 

That  they  should  gather  up  the  censers,  and  scatter  the  fire  hitherwards  ; 
and  of  the  censers,  which  were  of  brass,  they  should  make  broad 
plates,  a  covering  to  the  altar,  because  they  had  been  made  holy 
{Nwn.  xvi.  37,  38). 

The  censers  had  been  made  holy  by  the  "fire  of  the  altar,"  which 
signified  Divine  celestial  love.  [7.]  Because  spiritual  good,  which 
is  good  of  charity  towards  the  neighbor,  derives  its  essence  and 
soul  from  celestial  good,  which  is  good  of  love  to  the  Lord, 
"frankincense,"  which  signified  spiritual  good,  was  put  upon  the 
"bread  of  faces,"  which  signified  celestial  good;  as  can  be  seen 
from  these  words  in  Moses  : 

And  frankincense  shall  be  put  upon  the  bread  of  faces  which  is  upon  the 
table  in  the  tent  of  the  assembly,  that  the  bread  may  be  for  a  me- 
morial {Lev.  xxiv.  7). 

"That  the  bread  may  be  for  a  memorial"  signifies  that  the  Lord 
may  receive  and  give  heed ;  for  all  worship  of  the  Lord  which 
is  truly  worship  comes  from  celestial  good  through  spiritual 
good ;  for  spiritual  good,  which  is  charity  towards  the  neigh- 
bor, is  an  effedl  of  celestial  good,  for  charity  towards  the  neighbor 
is  the  performance  of  uses,  and  living  a  moral  life  from  a  heavenly 

Origm  (respe(5ling  which  see  Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  390,  484,  529,  530-535  ;  and  Doc- 
trine of  the  New  jferusalem,  n.  84-107),  this,  therefore,  is  spiritual  good ; 
while  celestial  good  is  looking  to  the  Lord  and  acknowledging 
that  every  good  and  truth  is  from  Him,  and  that  from  man,  that 
is,  from  what  is  man's  own  {propHum)  there  is  nothing  but  evil. 
[8.]  That  the  incense  was  to  be  burned  from  no  other  fire  than 
the  fire  of  the  altar  of  burnt-oflfering,  which  signified  celestial 
good,  which  is  the  good  of  love  to  the  Lord,  is  evident  also 
from  other  passages  ;  as  in  Moses  : 

When  the  congregation  murmured  against  Moses  and  Aaron,  and  were 
attacked  by  the  plague,  Aaron  took  fire  from  the  altar,  and  put  it 
in  a  censer,  and  placed  incense  on  it,  and  he  ran  into  the  midst  of 
them  ;  and  the  plague  was  stayed  {Num.  xvi.  41,  46-48). 

and  also  in  Apoc.  (viii.  3-5). 

[c]  [9.]  That  "  incense  "  and  "  frankincense  "  signify  spiritual 
good,  and  "  burning  incense"  worship  acceptable  because  of  that 
good,  and  therefore  hearing  and  reception  by  the  Lord,  can  be 
seen  from  the  following  passages.     In  Isaiah  : 


576  APOCALYPSE    KXPI.AINEIJ. 

"A  troop  of  camels  shall  cover  thee,  the  dromedaries  of  Midian  and 
Ephah  ;  all  they  from  Sheba  shall  come  ;  they  shall  bring  gold  and 
frankincense;  and  they  shall  proclaim  the  praises  of  Jehovah" 
(Ix.  6). 

Here  the  Lord's  cominu;^  is  treated  of;  the  "troop  of  camels"  and 
the  "dromedaries  of  Midian  and  Ephah"  signify  knowledges  of 
truth  and  good  in  abundance  ;  "all  they  from  Sheba  shall  come" 
signifies  from  knowledges  of  genuine  truth  and  good  (that  "Sheba" 
signified  such  knowledges, see ^.C, n. 1 171,  3240) ;  "gold  and  frankincense," 
which  they  shall  bring,  signify  worship  from  spiritual  good  that  is 
from  celestial  good  ;  "gold"  signifying  celestial  good,  and  "frank- 
incense" spiritual  good.  Because  worship  from  these  is  signified 
it  is  said,  "and  they  shall  proclaim  the  praises  of  Jehovah,"  "pro- 
claiming the  praises  of  Jehovah"  signifying  the  proclamation  of 
good  tidings  respecting  the  Lord,  and  worship  of  Him.  [10.]  In 
Matthew: 

The  wise  men  from  the  east  opened  their  treasures,  and  offered  gifts  to 
the  new-born  Lord,  "gold,  frankincense,  and  myrrh"  (ii.  11). 

"  The  wise  men  from  the  east "  also  signified  those  who  are  in  know- 
ledges of  truth  and  good  ;  the  worship  of  such  from  celestial  good, 
spiritual  good,  and  natural  good  is  signified  by  "they  offered  gold, 
frankincense,  and  myrrh;"  for  "gold"  signifies  celestial  good, 
"frankincense"  spiritual  good,  and  "myrrh  "  natural  good.  That 
these  had  such  a  signification  was  still  known  to  many  in  the  east, 
therefore  they  were  called  "  sons  of  the  east,"  by  whom  in  the  Word 
tliose  who  are  in  knowledges  of  truth  and  good  are  meant  (see 
A.C..  n.  3249,  3762),  for  a  knowledge  of  correspondences  had  been 
preserved  among  them  ;  therefore  that  they  might  evince  their  joy 
of  heart  they  offered  such  things  as  signified  every  good  from 
first  to  last ;  and  this  is  what  was  predi6led  in  Isaiah,  that  they 
"were  to  come  from  Sheba,  and  bring  gold  and  frankincense. 
and  proclaim  the  praises  of  Jehovah"  (of  which  just  above) 
[II.]    In  Malachi: 

"From  the  rising  of  the  sun  even  unto  its  going  down  My  name  shall 
be  great  among  the  nations  ;  and  in  every  place  incense  shall  be 
offered  unto  My  name,  and  a  pure  meal  offering"  (i.  11). 

"  From  the  rising  of  the  sun  even  unto  its  going  down  My  name 
shall  be  great  among  the  nations"  signifies  that  the  church  and 
worship  of  the  Lord  shall  be  everywhere  with  those  who  are  in 
good,  "from  the  rising  of  the  sun  to  its  going  down"  signifying 
every  place  where  there  is  good  ;  "  My  name  shall  be  great "  sig- 
nifying acknowledgment  and  worship  of  the  Lord  ;  and  "  nations  " 


CHAP,   v.,   VERSE   8. — N.   324[</].  577 

sii^nifying  those  who  are  in  good.  "Incense  shall  be  offered  unto 
My  name,  and  a  pure  meal  offering,"  signifies  worship  of  the  Lord 
from  spiritual  good,  which  is  the  good  of  charity  towards  the 
neighbor,  and  from  celestial  good,  which  is  the  good  of  love  to  the 
Lord  ;  worship  from  spiritual  good  is  signified  by  "incense  offer- 
ing," and  from  celestial  good  by  "meal  offering."     (That  a  "meal 

offering"  signifies  that  good,  see  A.C.,  n.  4581,  10079,  ioi37-) 

[#!•]    [12.]  "Incense"  and  "meal  offering"  have  like  signifi- 
cations in  David  : 

"  Give  ear  unto  my  voice  when  I  cry  unto  Thee.  Let  my  prayers  be 
accepted  as  incense  before  Thee  ;  and  the  lifting  up  of  my  hands 
as  the  evening  meal  offering"  (^Psabn  cxli.  i,  2). 

And  in  Isaiah  : 

"  Thou  hast  not  brought  to  Me  the  small  cattle  of  thy  burnt  offerings, 
and  thou  hast  not  honored  Me  with  thy  sacrifices.  I  have  not 
made  thee  to  serve  by  a  meal  offering,  nor  wearied  thee  by  frank- 
incense "  (xliii.  23). 

As  all  worship  of  the  Lord  comes  from  spiritual  good  that  is  from 
celestial  good,  the  two,  "meal  offering"  and  "frankincense"  are 
mentioned  separately  in  the  letter,  yet  in  the  internal  or  spiritual 
sense  they  are  to  be  understood  conjointly,  but  the  one  from  the 
other.     [13-1    So  in  yeremiah: 

"They  shall  come  from  the  cities  of  Judah,  and  from  the  circuits  of  Je- 
rusalem,. . .  .bringing  burnt  offering  and  sacrifice,  and  meal  offer- 
ing and  frankincense  "  (xvii.  26). 

Here  "Judah"  and  "Jerusalem"  do  not  mean  Judah  and  Jerusa- 
lem, but  the  Lord's  church,  which  is  in  the  good  of  love  and  in  the 
dodlrine  of  charity  therefrom  ;  worship  from  these  is  signified  by 
"burnt  offering  and  sacrifice,"  also  by  "meal  offering  and  frank- 
incense." [14.]  Because  "  meal  offering  "  signified  the  good  of 
celestial  love,  and  "frankincense  "  the  good  of  spiritual  love,  upon 
the  meal  offering  of  fine  flour  were  put  oil  and  frankincense ;  as 
appears  in  Moses : 

"When  a  soul  would  offer  the  gift  of  a  meal  offering  unto  Jehovah,  fine 
flour  shall  be  his  gift,  upon  which  he  shall  pour  oil,  and  shall  put 
upon  it  frankincense;"  and  the  priest  "shall  take  out  of  it  his 
handful  of  the  fine  flour  and  of  the  oil  thereof,  with  all  the  frank- 
incense thereof,  and  he  shall  burn  it  for  a  memorial  upon  the  al- 
tar" {Lev.  ii.  I,  2). 

This  meal  offering  was  instituted  because  "fine  flour"  signifies 
genuine  truth  (see  A.c,  n.  9995) ;  and  since  this  truth  is  from  good, 
namely,  from  celestial  good,  and  from  consequent  spiritual  good, 
"oil  and  frankincense"  were  put  upon  it;  "oil"  signifying  good 
of  celestial  love,  and  "  frankincense"  good  of  spiritual  love ;  in  the 


578  ArOCALYPbK    I-:XFI.AI.\EU. 

internal  sense,  the  one  from  the  other.  There  were  other  kimls 
of  meal  offerings  that  were  prepared  with  oil  that  had  a  like  sig- 
nification.    [15.]    In  Ezekiel: 

"Thou  hast  taken  the  garments  of  thy  embroidery,  and  hast  covered" 
images  of  a  male,  with  which  thou  didst  commit  whoredom  ;  "  and 
didst  set  My  oil  and  My  incense  before  them  "  (xvi.  i8,  19). 

This  is  said  of  Jerusalem,  which  signifies  the  church  in  respect 
to  dodlrine,  here  dodrine  wholly  perverted.  The  "images  of  a 
male,"  which  she  covered  with  the  garments  of  her  embroidery, 
and  with  which  she  committed  whoredom,  signify  the  falsities  that 
they  made,  by  perverse  interpretations,  to  appear  as  truths,  thus 
they  signify  falsified  truths,  "garments  of  embroidery"  meaning 
knowledges  of  truth  from  the  Word,  and  "to  commit  whoredom" 
meaning  to  falsify.  "  To  set  My  oil  and  My  incense  before  them  " 
signifies  to  adulterate  both  the  good  of  celestial  love  and  the  good 
of  spiritual  love  ;  and  these  are  adulterated  when  the  Word  is  ap- 
plied to  the  loves  of  self  and  of  the  world.     [16.]    In  Moses  : 

"  They  shall  teach  Jacob  Thy  judgments,  and  Israel  Thy  law  ;  they  shall 
put  incense  in  Thy  nostrils,  and  burnt  offering  upon  Thine  altar  " 
{Deut.  xxxiii.  10). 

This  is  the  prophecy  of  Moses  respecting  Levi,  by  whom  the 
priesthood  is  signified,  and  because  the  priesthood  was  represent- 
ative of  the  Lord  in  respe6l  to  good  of  love,  both  celestial  and 
spiritual,  it  is  said,  "they  shall  put  incense  in  Thy  nostrils,  and 
burnt  offering  upon  Thine  altar,"  "incense"  signifying  worship 
from  spiritual  good,  and  "burnt  offering  upon  the  altar  "  worship 
from  celestial  good,  "  in  the  nostrils "  signifying  to  the  percep- 
tion.    [17.]    In  David : 

"  I  will  go  into  Thy  house  with  burnt  offerings  ;  I  will  pay  my  vows 

unto  Thee I  will  offer  unto  Thee  burnt  offerings  of  fatlings, 

rams  with  incense"  {Psalm  Ixvi.  13,  15), 

"To  offer  burnt  offerings  of  fatlings"  signifies  worship  from  the 
good  of  celestial  love  ;  "  to  offer  rams  with  incense"  signifies  wor- 
ship from  the  good  of  spiritual  love,"  "incense"  and  "ram  "  sig- 
nifying that  good.     [18.]    In  the  Apocalypse : 

'  Another  angel  came  and  stood  at  the  altar,  having  a  golden  censer ; 
and  there  was  given  unto  him  much  incense,  that  he  might  offer  it 
with  the  prayers  of  all  the  saints  upon  the  golden  altar  that  was 
before  the  throne.  And  the  smoke  of  the  incense,  with  the  pray- 
ers of  the  saints,  went  up  out  of  the  angel's  hand  before  God.  After- 
wards the  angel  took  the  censer  and  filled  it  with  the  fire  of  the 
altar  and  cast  it  into  the  earth  "  (viii.  3-5). 

What  this  means  will  be  told  in  the  explanation  of  these  words  in 


CHAP,  v.,  VERSE  8.~N.  324W-  579 

what  follows  ;  here  it  may  be  said  that  "incense"  signifies  worship 
from  spiritual  good,  which  is  the  good  of  charity  towards  the 
neighbor.  Such  worship  is  signified  also  by  "the  prayers  of  the 
saints;"  it  is  therefore  said  that  "there  was  given  unto  him  much 
incense,  that  he  might  offer  it  with  the  prayers  of  the  saints  ;"  and 
then  that  "  the  smoke  of  the  incense,  with  the  prayers  of  the  saints, 
went  up  before  God."  That  "prayers  of  saints  "  signify  worship 
from  spiritual  good  will  be  seen  in  the  next  paragraph,  also  what 
is  meant  by  worship  from  spiritual  good,  that  is,  from  good  of 
charity.     [19.]   In  Isaiah: 

"  A  people  that  provoke  Me  to  anger  continually  before  My  faces  ;  that 
sacrifice  in  gardens,  and  burn  incense  upon  bricks  "  (Ixv.  3). 

Here  "sacrificing"  and  "burning  incense"  have  the  contrary  sig- 
nification, namely,  worship  from  falsities  of  do6lrine  that  are  from 
self-intelligence;  "gardens"  signify  intelligence,  here  self-intelli- 
gence,  and  "bricks"  falsities  therefrom;  "to  sacrifice"  and  "to 

burn  incense"  signify  worship.  (That  the  ancients  celebrated  Divine  wor- 
ship in  gardens  and  groves  in  accordance  with  the  significations  of  the  trees  therein, 
but  that  this  was  forbidden  to  the  Israelitish  nation,  lest  they  should  frame  to  them- 
selves a  worship  from  the  selfhood  {ex  propria),  see  n.  2722,  4552.) 

[c]    [20.]   In  Hosea  : 

"They  sacrifice  upon  the  tops  of  the  mountains,  and  burn  incense  upon 
the  hills,  under  the  oak,  and  the  poplar,  and  the  terebinth,  because 
the  shadow  thereof  is  good  ;  therefore  your  daughters  commit 
whoredom,  and  your  daughters-in-law  commit  adultery"  (iv.  13). 

This  describes  worship  from  love  of  self  and  from  love  of  the 
world,  and  from  falsities  of  do6lrine  therefrom  ;  worship  from  love 
of  self  is  meant  by  "sacrificing  upon  the  tops  of  the  mountains  ;" 
worship  from  love  of  the  world,  by  "burning  incense  upon  the 
hills  ;"  and  worship  from  falsities  of  doctrine,  by  "sacrificing  and 
burning  incense  under  the  oak,  the  poplar,  and  the  terebinth ;" 
"  top  of  the  mountains  "  signifying  celestial  love,  here  love  of  self; 
"hills"  spiritual  loVe,  here,  love  of  the  world;  for  love  of  self  is 
the  contrary  of  celestial  love,  and  love  of  the  world  is  the  contrary 
of  spiritual  love.  "The  oak,  the  poplar,  and  the  terebinth,"  sig- 
nify the  lowest  goods  of  truth  and  truths  of  good  of  the  natural 
man,  here  his  evils  of  falsity  and  falsities  of  evil.  "  Because  the 
shadow  thereof  is  good  "  signifies  satisfa6lion  ;  falsifications  of  spir- 
itual good  therefrom  are  signified  by  "therefore  your  daughters 
commit  whoredom,"  and  adulterations  of  celestial  good  by  "your 
daughters-in-law  commit  adultery."     [21.]    \n  yeremiah: 

"  [According  to]  the  number  of  thy  cities  were  thy  gods,  O  Judah  ;  and 
according  to  the  number  [of  the  streets]  of  Jerusalem  have  ye  set 
up  altars,. .. .  altars  to  burn  incense  unto  Baal"  (xi.  13,  17). 


580  APOCALYPSE    KXPI.AINKD. 

"  Cities"  here  do  not  mean  cities,  nor  "gods"  gods,  nor  "streets 
of  Jerusalem"  streets  there;  but  "cities"  signify  dodlrinals  of 
falsity;  "gods"  falsities  themselves;  and  "streets  of  Jerusalem" 

falsities  of  the  dodlrine  of  the  church.    "  To  set  up  altars altars 

to  burn  incense  unto  Baal,"  signifies  worship  from  love  of  self  and 
from  love  of  the  world  (as  above).  This  nation  did  set  up  altars 
and  burn  incense  to  Baal ;  but  as  all  things  of  their  worship  were 
representative,  the  things  that  were  done  according  to  the  statutes 
were  representative  of  things  celestial  and  spiritual ;  consequently 
the  things  that  were  done  contrary  to  the  statutes  were  represent- 
ative of  things  infernal ;  therefore  by  "altars  set  up  to  their  gods," 
and  by  "incense  offered  to  Baal,"  these  contrary  things  are  signi- 
fied.    [22.]    In  the  same, 

"  I  will  speak  with  them  judgments  upon  all  their  wickedness,  in  that 
they  have  forsaken  Me  and  have  burned  incense  to  other  gods, 
and  have  bowed  themselves  down  to  the  works  of  their  own  hands  " 
(i.  16). 

"To  burn  incense  to  other  gods,"  and  "  to  bow  themselves  down 
to  the  works  of  their  own  hands,"  signifies  worship  from  falsities 
that  are  from  self-intelligence,  "other  gods"  meaning  falsities, 
and  "works  of  their  own  hands"  what  is  from  self-intelligence. 
[23.]   The  same  is  signified  by 

"Burning  incense  to  gods"  in  yeremiah  (xi.  12  ;  xliv.  3,  5,  8,  15, 18) ; 
Likewise  "  burning  incense  to  graven  images  "  in  Hosea  (xi.  2) ; 
And  "burning  incense  to  vanity"  in  Jeremiah  (xviii.  15); 
The  same  as  above  is  signified  by  "burning  incense  to  Baal"  in  Jere- 

Jiiiah  (vii.  9),  and  in  Hosea  (ii.  13) ; 
Likewise  by  "burning  incense  to  Melecheth  "  that  is,  queen,  "of  the 

heavens,"  in  yeref?na/i  (xliv.  17-19,  21,  25). 

"Melecheth  of  the  heavens"  signifies  falsities  in  the  whole  com- 
plex. [24.]  Moreover,  "burning  incense"  signifies  things  of  wor- 
ship that  are  perceived  as  grateful,  and  "  incense  "  signifies  spirit- 
ual good,  because  all  things  that  were  instituted  in  the  Israel- 
itish  nation  were  representative  of  things  celestial  and  spiritual ; 
for  the  church  with  them  was  not  as  the  church  at  this  day,  which 
is  internal,  but  it  was  external ;  and  the  externals  represented  and 
thus  signified  the  internal  things  of  the  church,  such  as  were  dis- 
closed by  the  Lord  in  the  Word  of  the  New  Testament ;  for  this 
reason  their  church  was  called  a  representative  church.  The  ex- 
ternals of  that  church  consisted  of  such  things  in  the  world  of  na- 
ture as  corresponded  to  affedlions  for  good  and  truth  in  the  spir- 
itual world ;  consequently  when  those  who  were  of  that  church 
were  in  externals  in  respe6t  to  worship,  those  who  were  in  the  spir- 
itual world,  that  is,  in  heaven,  were  in  the  internals,  and  weic 


CHAP,  v.,   VERSE   8. — N.  324^/"].  58I 

conjoined  with  those  who  were  in  externals  ;  it  was  in  this  way 
that  heaven  at  that  time  made  one  with  men  on  the  earth.  [25.] 
From  all  this  it  can  be  seen  why  there  was  a  table  for  the  bread 
in  the  tent  of  the  assembly,  and  why  there  was  a  lampstand  with 
lamps,  and  an  altar  for  incense.  For  "bread"  represented  and 
thus  signified  good  of  love  going  forth  from  the  Lord,  that  is, 
celestial  good;  the  "lampstand  with  lamps"  represented  and 
thus  signified  spiritual  good  and  truth  ;  and  "  incense"  represented 
and  thus  signified  worship ;  and  because  all  Divine  worship  that 
is  perceived  as  grateful  is  from  spiritual  good,  that  good  was  signi- 
fied by  "  incense."  In  order  that  this  gratification  might  be  repre- 
sented the  incense  was  made  from  fragrant  spices,  and  this  also 
from  correspondence  ;  for  fragrant  odors  correspond  to  the  pleas- 
antnesses and  delights  that  are  in  the  thoughts  and  perceptions 
from  the  joy  of  spiritual  love.  For  this  reason  incense  corre- 
sponded to  such  things  as  are  received  as  grateful  by  the  Lord 
and  perceived  as  grateful  by  angels.  This  gratification  is  entirely 
from  spiritual  good,  that  is,  from  good  of  charity  towards  the 
neighbor  ;  for  this  good  is  celestial  good,  which  is  good  of  love  to 
the  Lord  in  effedl ;  for  celestial  good,  which  is  good  of  love  to  the 
Lord,  is  brought  into  effe6l  solely  through  spiritual  good,  which 
is  good  of  charity  towards  the  neighbor ;  consequently  to  be  in 
this  good  and  to  exercise  it  is  to  love  and  worship  the  Lord. 

(What  charity  towards  the  neighbor  is,  and  what  it  is  to  exercise  it,  see  The  Doc- 
trine of  the  New  yerzisalem,  n.  84-107.) 

[/"."I  [26.]  As  the  "oil"  by  which  anointings  were  performed 
signified  celestial  good,  or  good  of  love  to  the  Lord,  and  "  incense  " 
signified  spiritual  good,  or  good  of  charity  towards  the  neighbor, 
and  as  the  latter  is  from  the  former  (as  was  said  abo\e),  therefore 
in  Exodus  (chap,  xxx.)  the  preparation  of  the  anointing  oil  is  first 
treated  of,  and  immediately  afterwards  the  pi'eparation  of  the  in- 
cense ;  the  preparation  of  the  anointing  oil  from  verse  23  to  33, 
and  the  preparation  of  the  incense  from  verse  34  to  38.  And  as 
the  incense  offering  is  here  treated  of  I  will  quote  here  what  is 
there  commanded  regarding  the  preparation  of  incense,  namely, 

"Take  unto  thee  sweet  spices,  stacfle,  onycha,  and  galbanum  ;  sweet 
spices,  with  pure  frankincense,  of  each  shall  there  be  like  weight» 
And  thou  shalt  make  it  an  incense,  a  perfume  after  the  art  of  the 
perfumer,  salted,  pure,  holy ;  and  thou  shalt  beat  some  of  it  very 
small,  and  put  of  it  before  the  testimony  in  the  tent  of  meetings 
where  I  will  meet  thee  ;  it  shall  be  unto  you  the  holy  of  holies. 
And  the  incense  that  thou  makest  ye  shall  not  make  in  its  quality 
for  yourselves  ;  it  shall  be  unto  thee  holy  to  Jehovah.  The  man 
who  shall  make  like  unto  it  to  make  him  an  odor  shall  be  cut  oft 
from  his  people  "  (Exod.  xxx.  34-38). 


582  Al'UCALYl'Sl':    KXl'LAlNliU. 

(What  each  particular  here  signifies,  see  A.C.,  n.  10289-10310,  where  they  are  ex- 
plained consecutively.)  Here  it  may  be  said  that  frankincense  was  the 
most  important  ingredient,  and  the  other  three  were  added  for  the 
sake  of  their  odor  ;  therefore  it  is  said  of  the  frankincense,  that  "  of 
each  there  shall  be  like  weight,"  or  as  much  of  one  so  much  of  the 
other  ;  in  like  manner  as  with  the  anointing  oil,  in  which  the  oil 
of  the  olive  was  the  most  important  ingredient,  and  the  other  things 
in  it  were  significative  {Exodus  xxx.  23-33).  From  this  it  is  clear 
why  frankincense  has  the  same  signification  as  incense  when  com- 
pounded, namely,  spiritual  good.  [27.]  As  the  fragrances  per- 
taining to  odor  correspond  to  spiritual  pleasantnesses,  that  is,  to 
the  pleasantnesses  arising  from  spiritual  good,  so  what  is  received 
by  the  Lord  as  especially  grateful  is  called  an 

"Odor  of  rest "  {Exod.  xxix.  18.  25,  41  ;  Lev.  i.  9,  13,  17 ;  ii.  2,  9,  12  ;  iii. 
5  ;  iv.  31  ;  vi.  15,  21  ;  viii.  28  ;  xxiii.  8,  13,  18  ;  Nnm.  xv.  3  ;  xxviii. 
6,  8,  13  ;  xxix.  2,  6,  8,  13,  36). 

And  in  Ezckicl : 

"  By  the  odor  of  rest  I  will  be  pleased  with  you"  (xx.  41). 

In  Moses : 

If  ye  will  not  walk  in  my  precepts,  but  will  go  contrary  to  Me,  "  I  will 
not  smell  the  odor  of  your  rest"  {l.ev.  xxvi.  27,  31). 

And  in  Ho  sea: 

"His  branches  shall  spread,  and  he  shall  be  as  the  honor  of  the  olive, 
and  his  odor  as  that  of  Lebanon  "  (xiv.  6). 

This  is  said  of  Israel ;  "the  honor  of  the  olive"  signifies  celestial 
good,  and  "the  odor  of  Lebanon"  spiritual  good,  from  gratifica- 
tion. (That  "  honor  "  is  predicated  of  celestial  good,  see  above,  n.  288[i^]  ;  that 
the  "  olive  "  also  signifies  that  good,  see  A.C.  n.  9277,  10261 ;  that  "  odoi  "  signifies 
capacity  to  perceive  what  is  grateful  according  to  the  quality  of  love  and  faith,  n. 
1514-1519,  3577,  4624-4634,  4748,  5621, 10292  ;  that  "  odor  of  rest  "  signifies  capacity 
to  perceive  peace,  n.  925.  10054  1  what  this  is,  see  Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  284-290). 

325[/»].  "Which  are  the  prayers  of  the  saints"  signifies 
from  "ivliicli  is  zvorship. — This  is  evident  from  the  signification  of 
"prayers  of  saints,"  as  meaning  worship  from  spiritual  good  ; 
"prayers,"  in  the  internal  sense,  mean  all  things  of  worship  ;  and 
"saints  "  things  spiritual  ;  for  those  who  are  in  the  Lord's  spiritual 
kingdom  are  called  in  the  Word  "saints"  [or  "holy"],  and  those 
who  are  in  His  celestial  kingdom  are  called  "  righteous  "  (see  above, 
n.  204).  But  in  the  internal  sense  of  the  Word  by  "  saints  "  are  not 
meant  saints  [holy  men],  but  things  holy,  for  the  term  "  saints  "  in- 
volves persons,  and  in  the  internal  sense  everything  of  person  is  put 
off,  for  only  real  things  make  that  sense  (see  above,  n.  270)  ;  and 


CHAP,   v.,   VERSE  8. — >,.   325[ff].  583 

that  angels,  because  they  are  spiritual,  think  abstradlly  from  persons 
(see  also  above,  n.  99,  100).  This  is  what  distinguishes  the  inter- 
nal sense  of  the  Word  from  its  external  sense,  which  is  the  sense  of 
the  letter;  and  as  "saints"  thus  mean  things  holy,  and  "holy"  in 
the  Word  means  the  Divine  truth  that  goes  forth  from  the  Lord, 
and  makes  His  spiritual  kingdom  (as  may  be  seen  above,  n.  204),  so 
by  "saints"  things  spiritual  are  meant,  and  by  "prayers  of  saints" 
worship  from  spiritual  good.  That  worship  from  that  good  is 
meant  by  "prayers  of  saints"  is  evident  from  this,  that  it  is  said 
"they  had  golden  bowls  full  of  incense,  which  are  the  prayers  of 
the  saints,"  and  "incense"  signifies  all  things  of  worship  that  are 
from  spiritual  good  (as  was  shown  in  the  preceding  paragraph)  ; 
from  which  it  follows  that  "prayers  of  saints"  has  a  like  signifi- 
cation.    [2.]    As  also  in  David  : 

"Give  ear  unto  my  voice  when  I  cry  unto  Thee.     Let  my  prayers  be 
received  as  incense  before  Thee  ;  and  the  lifting  up  of  my  hands 

as  the  evening  meal  offering Guard  the  door  of  my  lips  :  let 

not  my  heart  decline  to  evil,  to  do  evil  deeds  in  wickedness  with 
the  men  who  work  iniquity  ; . . . .  for  still  my  prayers  are  in  their 
evils"  {Psalm  cxli,  1-5). 

Here  also  "prayers"  are  called  "incense,"  and  "the  lifting  up  of 
the  hands"  is  called  a  "meal  offering;"  and  this  because  "pray- 
ers" and  "incense"  have  the  same  signification,  also  "lifting  up 
of  the  hands  "  and  "meal  offering."  "  Incense"  signifies  spiritual 
good,  which  is  the  good  of  charity  towards  the  neighbor  ;  and 
"meal  offering"  signifies  celestial  good,  which  is  the  good  of  love 
to  the  Lord ;  thus  both  signify  worship.  And  as  prayers  are  not 
from  the  mouth,  but  from  the  heart  by  the  mouth,  and  all  worship 
that  is  from  the  heart  is  from  the  good  of  love  and  charity,  for  the 
heart  signifies  that,  so  it  is  said,  "  Guard  the  door  of  my  lips ;  let 
not  my  heart  decline  to  evil,  to  do  evil  deeds  in  wickedness." 
And  because  David  is  lamenting  that  evils  still  have  power  against 
him,  he  says,  "for  still  my  prayers  are  in  their  evils."  [3.]  That 
"prayers"  have  the  same  meaning  as  "incense"  is  evident  from 
other  passages  in  the  Apocalypse  : 

"Another  angel  came  and  stood  at  the  altar,  having  a  golden  censer ; 
and  there  was  given  unto  him  much  incense,  that  he  might  ofifer  it 

with  the  prayers  of  all  the  saints,  upon  the  golden  altar And 

the  smoke  of  the  incense  with  the  prayers  of  the  saints  went  up .... 
before  God  "  (viii.  3,  4). 

As  "prayers"  and  "incense"  have  here  the  same  significance, 
namely,  worship  from  spiritual  good,  it  is  said,  "there  was  given 


584  APOCALYPS1-:    EXri.AlNEI). 

unto  him  much  incense,  that  he  might  offer  it  with  the  prayers 
of  the  saints ;"  likewise  that  "  the  smoke  of  the  incense  went  up 
with  the  prayers  of  the  saints  before  God."  What  is  meant  by 
worship  from  spiritual  good  shall  first  be  explained,  and  afterwards 
that  prayers  signify  such  worship.  Worship  does  not  consist  in 
jjrayers  and  in  external  devotion,  but  in  a  life  of  charity  ;  prayers 
are  only  its  externals,  for  they  go  forth  from  the  man  through  his 
mouth,  consequently  men's  prayers  are  such  as  they  themselves 
are  in  respect  to  life.  It  matters  not  that  a  man  bears  himself 
humbly,  that  he  kneels  and  sighs  when  he  prays  ;  these  are  ex- 
ternals, and  unless  externals  come  forth  from  internals  they  are 
only  posturings  and  sounds,  without  life.  In  each  thing  that  a 
man  utters  there  is  affection,  and  every  man,  spirit,  and  angel 
is  his  own  affection,  for  their  affe6tion  is  their  life ;  it  is  the  affec- 
tion itself  that  speaks,  and  not  the  man  without  it ;  therefore 
such  as  the  affe6lion  is  such  is  the  praying.  Spiritual  affection  is 
what  is  called  charity  towards  the  neighbor  ;  to  be  in  that  affedlion 
is  true  worship  ;  praying  is  what  goes  forth.  From  this  it  can  be 
seen  that  the  essential  of  worship  is  a  life  of  charity,  and  that  its 
instrumental  is  posture  and  praying ;  or  that  the  primar}'  of  wor- 
ship is  a  life  of  chanty,  and  its  secondary  is  praying.  From  this 
it  is  clear  that  those  who  place  all  Divine  worship  in  oral  piety, 
and  not  in  practical  piety,  err  greatly.  [4.]  Pra(5lical  piety  is  to 
a6l  in  every  work  and  in  every  duty  from  sincerity  and  right,  and 
from  justice  and  equity,  and  this  because  it  is  commanded  by 
the  Lord  in  the  Word  ;  for  thus  man  in  his  every  work  looks 
to  heaven  and  to  the  Lord,  and  thus  is  conjoined  with  Him.  But 
to  a6l  sincerely  and  rightly,  justly  and  equitably,  solely  from  fear 
of  the  law,  of  the  loss  of  fame  or  of  honor  and  gain,  and  to  think 
nothing  of  the  Divine  law,  of  the  precepts  of  the  Word,  and  of  the 
Lord,  and  yet  to  pray  devoutly  in  the  churches,  is  external  piety  ; 
however  holy  this  may  appear  it  is  not  piety,  but  is  either  hypoc- 
risy, or  something  put  on  derived  from  habit,  or  a  kind  of  convic- 
tion from  a  false  belief  that  Divine  worship  consists  merely  in  this  ; 
for  such  a  man  looks  to  heaven  and  to  the  Lord  not  with  the  heart 
but  only  with  the  eyes,  the  heart  looking  to  self  and  to  the  world, ' 
and  the  mouth  speaking  from  the  habit  of  the  body  only  and  its 
memory  ;  by  this  man  is  joined  to  the  world  and  not  to  heaven, 
and  to  self  and  not  to  the  Lord.  From  all  this  it  can  be  seen 
what  piety  is,  and  what  Divine  worship  is,  and  that  praftica! 
piety  is  essential  worship.  On  this  see  also  what  is  said  in  Heaven 
and  Hell  fn.  222,  224,  35S-360,  528-530)  ;    and  in  the  DoHrhie  of  the 


CHAP,   v.,   VERSE    8. — N.  325[<^].  585 

New  yerusalem  (n.  123-129),  where  also  are  these  words: 

"Piety  is  to  think  and  spcai<  piously;  lo  spend  much  time 
in  prayer;  to  bear  oneself  humbly  at  such  times;  to  frequent 
churches,  and  attend  devoutly  to  discourses  there  ;  to  observe  the 
sacrament  of  the  Supper  frequently  every  year,  and  likewise  the  other 
services  of  worship  accordint^  to  the  appointments  nf  the  church. 
But  a  life  of  charity  is  to  will  well  and  do  well  to  the  neighbor  ;  to  att 
in  every  work  from  justice  and  equity  and  from  good  and  truth,  and 
also  to  discharge  every  duty  ; — ^in  a  word,  the  life  of  charity  consists  in 
performinguses.  Divine  worship  consists  primarily  in  such  a  life,  and 
secondarily  in  a  life  of  piety;  he,  therefore,  who  separates  the  one 
from  the  other,  that  is,  who  lives  a  life  of  piety  and  not  at  the  same 

time  a  life  of  charity,  does  not  worship  God For  a  life  of  piety 

is  valuable. .  .  .so  far  as  a  life  of  charity  is  joined  with  it;  for  a  life 
of  charity  is  the  chief  thing,  and  such  as  this  is,  such  is  the  life  of 
piety"  (n.  124,  128). 

[ft.]  [3.]  That  the  Lord  insinuates  heaven  into  man's  pra6lical 
piety,  but  not  into  oral  or  external  piety  separate  therefrom,  has 
been  proved  to  me  by  much  experience.  For  I  have  seen  many 
who  placed  all  worship  in  oral  and  outward  piety,  while  in  their 
pra<5lical  life  they  gave  no  thought  to  the  Lord's  precepts  in  the 
Word,  believing  that  what  is  sincere  and  right,  just  and  equitable, 
must  be  done  not  from  regard  to  religion,  thus  from  a  spiritual 
motive,  but  merely  from  regard  to  civil  law  and  moral  law,  that 
they  might  appear  sincere  and  just  for  the  sake  of  a  good  name,  and 
this  for  the  sake  of  honor  and  gain,  supposing  that  this  would  take 
them  into  heaven  before  others.  According  to  their  belief,  there- 
fore, they  were  raised  up  into  heaven  ;  but  when  the  angels  per- 
ceived that  they  worshipped  God  with  the  mouth  only,  and  not 
with  the  heart,  and  that  their  external  piety  did  not  proceed  from 
pra61ical  piety,  which  is  of  the  life,  they  cast  them  down  ;  after- 
wards these  became  associated  with  those  who  were  in  a  life  like 
their  own,  and  were  then  deprived  of  their  piety  and  sanctity,  since 
these  were  interiorly  defiled  by  evils  of  life.  From  this  also  it  was 
made  clear,  that  Divine  worship  consists  primarily  in  a  life  of  char- 
ity and  secondarily  in  external  piety.  [6.]  As  essential  Divine 
worship  consists  primarily  in  the  life,  and  not  in  prayers,  the  Lord 
taught  that  in  praying  there  should  not  be  much  speaking  and 
repetition,  in  the  following  words  : 

"  In  praying,  use  not  vain  repetitions,  as  the  heathen  do;  for  they  think 
that  they  shall  be  heard  for  their  much  speaking.  Do  not  make 
yourselves,  therefore,  like  them  "  {Matt.  vi.  7,  8). 

Now  as  essential  Divine  worship  consi.sts  primarily  in  a  life  of 
charity,  and  secondarily  in  prayers,  by  "  ])ra\-cr'^,"'  in  the  spiritual 


586  A1H)CALYPSE    KXPl  AINKU. 

sense  of  the  Word,  worship  from  spiritual  good,  that  is,  from  the 
life  of  charity,  is  meant,  for  that  which  is  primary  is  what  is  meant 
in  the  si)iritual  sense,  while  the  sense  of  the  letter  consists  of  things 
secondary,  which  are  efre6ls,  and  which  correspond.  [7.]  Pray- 
ers are  mentioned,  moreover,  in  many  passages  of  the  Word  ;  but 
as  prayers  go  forth  from  the  heart,  and  a  man's  heart  is  such  as  is 
his  life  of  love  and  charity,  so  "prayers,"  in  the  spiritual  sense, 
mean  that  life  and  worship  from  it ;  as  in  the  following.  In 
Luke  : 

"  Be  ye  wakeful  at  every  season,  praying  that  ye  may  be  accounted 
worthy  to  escape  the  things  that  are  to  come,  and  to  stand  before 
the  Son  of  man  "  (xxi.  36  ;  Mark  xiii.  33). 

"To  be  wakeful  at  every  season"  signifies  to  procure  to  oneself 
spiritual  life  (see  above,  n.  187)  ;  therefore  praying  is  also  men- 
tioned, because  "  praying  "  is  an  effe6l  of  that  life,  or  its  external, 
which  is  of  avail  so  far  as  it  goes  forth  from  the  life,  for  these  two 
are  one  like  soul  and  body,  and  like  internal  and  external  [8.]  In 
Mark  : 

Jesus  said,  "All  things  that  ye  ask  for,  praying,  believe  that  ye  are  to 
receive,  and  then  it  shall  be  done  for  you.  But  when  ye  stand 
supplicating,  forgive,  if  ye  have  aught  against  any"  (xi.  24,  25). 

Here,  also,  in  the  spiritual  sense,  by  "praying,"  "asking  for,"  and 
"supplicating,"  a  life  of  love  and  charity  is  meant;  for  to  those 
who  are  in  a  life  of  love  and  charity  it  is  given  from  the  Lord 
what  they  are  to  ask ;  therefore  they  ask  nothing  but  what  is 
good,  and  that  is  done  for  them ;  and  as  faith  also  is  from  the 
Lord,  it  is  said,  "believe  that  ye  are  to  receive;"  and  as  prayers 
proceed  from  a  life  of  charity,  and  are  an  agreement  with  it,  in 
order  that  it  may  be  done  according  to  the  prayers,  it  is  said, 
"  When  ye  stand  supplicating,  forgive,  ifye  haveaught  against  any." 
[9.]  "When  ye  stand  supplicating"  signifies  when  in  Divine  wor- 
ship, as  is  clear  also  from  this,  that  what  is  here  said  of  those  who 
pray  is  said  also  of  those  who  offer  a  gift  upon  the  altar,  in  Mat- 
thew : 

"  If  thou  offer  a  gift  upon  the  altar,  and  rememberest  that  thy  brother 

hath  aught  against  thee,  leave  the  gift  before  the  altar,  and 

first  be  reconciled  to  thy  brother,  and  then  coming  offer  the  gift " 
(v.  23,  24). 

"Offering  a  gift  upon  the  altar"  signifies  all  Divine  worship,  for 
the  reason  that  Divine  worship  with  that  nation  consisted  chiefly 
in  offering  burnt  offerings  and  sacrifices,  by  which  all  things  of 

worship  were  signified  (see  Doflrine  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  n.  214,  221).   From 


CHAP,  v.,  VERSE  g. — N.  326[a].  587 

this  it  can  be  seen  that  "praying,"  or  "supplicating,"  and  "offer- 
ing a  gift  upon  the  altar,"  have  a  like  meaning,  namely,  worship 
from  the  good  of  love  and  charity.     [I0.]    In  the  same, 

Jesus  said,  "  It  is  written,  My  house  shall  be  called  a  house  of  prayer, 
but  ye  have  made  it  a  den  of  robbers  "  (xxi.  13  ;  Mark  xi.  17  ;  Luke 
xix.  46). 

The  Lord's  "house"  signifies  the  church,  and  "prayers"  worship 
therein  ;  and  a  "den  of  robbers"  profanation  of  the  church  and 
of  worship  ;  from  this  contrary  sense  it  is  also  evident  that  pray- 
ers signify  worship  from  good  of  love  and  charity.  [II.]  In  Da- 
vid : 

"  I  cried  unto  God  with  my  mouth If  I  had  regarded  iniquity  in  my 

heart  the  Lord  would  not  have  heard  ;  but  God  hath  heard  ;  He  hath 
attended  to  the  voice  of  my  prayer"  {Fsaiin  Ixvi.  17-19). 

Since  prayers  are  such  as  the  man's  heart  is,  and  thus  are  not 
prayers  of  any  worship  when  the  heart  is  evil,  it  is  said,  "If 
I  had  regarded  iniquity  in  my  heart  the  Lord  would  not  have 
heard,"  which  signifies  that  He  would  not  receive  such  worship. 
Man's  "heart"  is  his  love,  and  man's  love  is  his  very  life,  conse- 
quently a  man's  prayers  are  such  as  his  love  is,  that  is,  such  as  his 
life  is  ;  from  which  it  follows  that  "prayers  "  signify  the  life  of  his  love 
and  charity,  in  other  words,  that  this  life  is  meant  by  "prayers"  in 
the  spiritual  sense.  [12.]  Many  more  passages  might  be  cited  ;  but 
as  man  does  not  know  that  his  life  and  his  prayers  make  one,  and 
therefore  does  not  perceive  otherwise  than  that  "prayers"  when 
they  are  mentioned  in  the  Word  mean  merely  prayers,  these  pas- 
sages will  be  omitted  here.  Moreover,  when  man  is  in  a  life  of 
charity  he  is  constantly  praying,  if  not  with  the  mouth  yet  with 
the  heart ;  for  that  which  is  of  the  love  is  constantly  in  the  thought, 

even  when  man  is  unconscious  of  it  (according  to  what  is  said  in  the  Doc- 
trine 0/  the  New  Jerusaiein,  n.  55-57) ;  from  which  also  it  is  clear  that 
"praying"  in  the  spiritual  sense  is  worship  from  love.  But  those 
who  place  piety  in  prayers  and  not  in  the  life  ha\'e  no  relish  for 
this  truth,  in  fa6l  their  thought  is  contrary  to  it ;  such  do  not  even 
know  what  pra<5lical  piety  is. 

326[ff].  iVcrse  9]  "And  they  were  singing  a  new  song"  sig- 
nifies ackmnvledgmcnt  and  confession  from  joy  of  heart. — This  is 
evident  from  the  signification  of  a  "song,"  as  meaning  acknow- 
ledgment and  confession  from  joy  of  heart,  here  acknowledgment 
and  confession  that  the  Lord  in  respe6t  to  the  Divine  Human 
has  all  power  in  the  heavens  and  on  earth.  Confession  respeding 
this  is  meant  because  this  is  what  is  here  treated  of     "To  sing  a 


588  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

song"  signifies  confession  from  joy  of  heart,  because  ju}-  of  iieart, 
when  it  is  in  its  fuhiess,  expresses  itself  in  song  ;  this  it  does  becau>e 
when  the  heart,  and  in  consequence  the  thouglit  also,  is  full  of  joy, 
it  pours  itself  forth  in  singing,  the  joy  of  the  heart  in  the  sound  of 
the  singing,  and  the  joy  of  the  thought  therefrom  in  the  song. 
The  kind  of  joy  in  the  thought  is  expressed  by  the  words  of  the 
song,  which  concur  and  agree  with  the  matter  that  is  in  the  thought 
from  the  heart ;  the  kind  of  joy  in  the  heart  is  expressed  by  the 
harmony,  and  the  measure  of  this  joy  is  expressed  by  the  exalta- 
tion of  the  sound  and  the  words  in  it.  All  these  flow  as  if  sponta- 
neously from  the  joy  itself,  and  for  the  reason  that  the  whole  heaven 
is  formed  according  to  affections  for  good  and  truth,  the  highest 
heaven  according  to  affe(?tions  for  good,  and  the  middle  heaven 
according  to  affections  for  truth  ;  it  is  therefore  formed  also  in  ac- 
cord with  joys,  for  every  joy  is  from  an  affection,  that  is,  from  love  ; 
from  this  it  is  that  in  all  angelic  discourse  there  is  a  kind  of  har- 
mony. (But  these  things  can  be  more  clearly  known  and  established  by  what  is 
said  and  shown  in  Heaven  and  Hell,  namely,  that  the  thoughts  and  affedlions  of 
angels  go  forth  according  to  the  form  of  heaven,  n.  200-212,  and  265-275  ;  there- 
fore that  there  is  a  kind  of  harmony  in  their  speech,  n.  242 ;  also  that  the  sound  of 
'le  speech  of  angels  corresponds  to  their  affections  ;  and  the  articulations  of  sound, 
which  are  the  words,  correspond  to  the  ideas  of  thought,  which  is  from  the  affedlion, 
•n.  236,  241;  also  in  A.C.,  n.  1648,  1649,  2595,  2596,  3350,  5182,  8115.)      From 

this  it  is  clear  that  harmony  in  song,  also  the  power  of  mus- 
ical art  to  express  the  various  kinds  of  affe6lions  and  to  adapt 
itself  to  its  themes  are  from  the  spiritual  world,  and  not  from 

the  natural  as  is  supposed  (see  also  Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  241).      [2.]    For 

this  reason  many  kinds  of  musical  instruments  were  used  in  sa- 
cred worship  among  the  Jewish  and  Israelitish  nation,  some  of 
which  had  relation  to  affections  for  celestial  good,  and  some  to 
affections  for  spiritual  good,  and  to  the  joys  therefrom,  respecting 
what  was  to  be  proclaimed.  Stringed  instruments  had  rela- 
tion to  affections  for  spiritual  good,  and  wind  instruments  to  affec- 
tions for  celestial  good  ;  to  these  was  added  the  singing  of  songs, 
which  gave  form  to  the  agreements  of  things  with  the  sounds  of 
affections.  Such  were  all  the  psalms  of  David,  therefore  they  are 
called  psalms,  from  playing  (psallere),  and  are  also  called  songs. 
All  this  makes  clear  why  the  four  animals  and  and  twenty-four 
elders  are  said  to  have  had  harps,  and  also  to  have  sung  this  song. 
[6.]  [3.]  That  "singing"  and  "singing  a  song"  signify  ac- 
knowledgment and  confession  from  joy  of  heart  is  evident  from 
the  following  passages.     In  Isaiah: 

"  In  that  day  thou  shalt  say,  I  will  confess  to  Jehovah  ;.  . .  .O  God  of  my 
salvation,  I  will  trust,  I  will  not  be  afraid ;  for  Jah  Jehovah  is  my 


CHAP,   v.,   VERSE    9. — N.   326[/'].  5S9 

Strength  and  song,  He  is  become  my  salvation.  Then  shall  ye 
draw  waters  from  the  fountains  of  salvation.  And  in  that  day 
shall  ye  say,  Confess  ye  to  Jehovah,  call  upon  His  name sing  un- 
to Jehovah Cry  aloud  and  shout,  thou  inhabitant  of  Zion,  for 

great  in  the  midst  of  thee  is  the  Holy  One  of  Israel"  (xii.  1-6). 

This  describes  cont'e.ssion  from  joy  of  heart  because  of  the  Lord's 
coming^  and  His  Divine  power  to  save  the  human  race.  Confes- 
sion is  plainly  meant,  for  it  is  tirst  said,  "  I  will  confess  to  Jehovah," 
and  again  afterwards,  "Confess  ye  to  Jehovah."  Confession  that 
the  Lord  from  His  Divine  power  is  to  save  mankind  is  described 
by  these  words,  "O  God  of  my  salvation,  I  will  trust,  I  will 
not  be  afraid,  for  He  is  my  strength,  He  is  become  my  salva- 
tion. Then  shall  ye  draw  waters  from  the  fountains  of  salvation 
in  that  day  ;  great  in  the  midst  of  thee  is  the  Holy  One  of  Israel." 
"In  that  day"  means  when  the  Lord  is  to  come ;  "the  Holy  One 
of  Israel "  is  the  Lord  ;  consequent  joy,  which  is  the  joy  of 
confession,  is  described  by  "Sing  unto  Jehovah,  cry  aloud  and 
shout,  thou  inhabitant  of  Zion;"  "inhabitant"  and  "daughter  of 
Zion"  are  the  church  where  the  Lord  is  worshipped;  "Jah  is 
my  song"  signifies  here  celebration  and  glorification  of  the  Lord. 
[4.]    In  the  same, 

"Sing  unto  Jehovah  a  new  song,  His  praise,  O  end  of  the  earth 

Let  the  wilderness  and  the  cities  thereof  lift  up  their  voice  ; ....  let 
the  inhabitants  of  the  rock  sing,  let  them  shout  from  the  top  of  the 
mountains"  (xlii.  10,  11). 

This  also  treats  of  the  Lord's  coming  and  the  establishment  of 
the  church  with  those  who  were  outside  of  the  church,  that  is,  with 
those  where  the  Word  was  not,  and  the  Lord  was  not  known. 
"To  sing  a  new  song"  signifies  confession  from  joy  of  heart  ; 
"Sing  praise,  O  end  of  the  earth,"  signifies  confession  of  those 
who  are  remote  from  the  church,  "end  of  the  earth"  meaning 
where  that  which  pertains  to  the  church  ceases  to  be,  "  earth  "  mean- 
ing the  church  ;  "the  wilderness  and  the  cities  thereof,"  that  shall 
lift  up  the  voice,  signify  those  with  whom  there  is  no  good  because 
there  is  no  truth,  and  yet  they  desire  it ;  "  inhabitants  of  the  rock  " 
signify  good  of  faith  pertaining  to  these  ;  "top  of  the  mountains  " 
signifies  good  of  love  pertaining  to  these;  "to  sing"  and  "to 
shout"  signify  consequent  confession  from  joy  of  mind  and  heart. 
[5.]    In  the  same, 

"  Jehovah  will  comfort  Zion  ;  He  will  comfort  all  her  waste  places,  and 
He  will  make  her  desert  like  Eden,  and  her  wilderness  like  the 
garden  of  Jehovah  ;  gladness  and  joy  will  be  found  therein,  con- 
fession and  the  voice  of  singing  "  (li.  3 ;  Hi.  8,  9). 

This  also  treats  of  the  Lord's  coming  and  the  establishment  of 


590  APOCALYPSE    KXPLAINEI). 

the  church,  which  at  that  time  was  laid  waste  or  destroyed. 
"Zion"  signifies  the  church  where  the  Lord  is  to  be  worshipped; 
"her  waste  places"  signify  a  lack  of  truth  and  good  from  an  ab- 
sence of  knowledges ;  "  to  make  her  desert  like  Eden,  and  her 
wilderness  like  the  garden  of  Jehovah  "  signifies  that  they  shall  have 
truth  and  good  in  abundance;  "desert"  is  predicated  of  absence 
of  good,  and  "wilderness  "  of  absence  of  truth  ;  "  Eden  "  signifies 
good  in  abundance,  and  "garden  of  Jehovah"  signifies  truth  in 
abundance.  As  "singing"  and  "song"  signify  confession  from 
joy  of  heart,  it  is  said,  "gladness  and  joy  therein,  confession  and 
the  voice  of  singing,"  "  voice  of  singing  "  meaning  song.  [6.]  In 
Lamentations  : 

"The  elders  have  ceased  from  the  gate,  the  young  men  from  singing; 
the  joy  of  our  heart  hath  ceased"  (v.  14,  15). 

"The  elders  have  ceased  from  the  gate"  signifies  that  those  who 
are  in  truths  from  good,  or  in  an  abstradl  sense  truths  from  good 
by  which  there  is  admission  into  the  church,  are  no  more;  "the 
young  men  have  ceased  from  singing  "  signifies  that  truths  them- 
selves are  deprived  of  their  spiritual  affe6lion,  and  thus  of  their 
joy  ;  and  because  this  is  signified  it  is  said,  "the  joy  of  our  heart 
hath  ceased. "     [7.]    In  Ezekiel: 

"  I  will  cause  the  noise  of  thy  songs  to  cease,  and  the  voice  of  harps 
shall  be  no  more  heard  "  (xxvi.  13). 

"  The  noise  of  songs  "  signifies  the  joys  of  confessions  ;  "  the  voice 
of  harps"  signifies  gladness  from  spiritual  truths  and  goods. 
[8.]    In  David  : 

"  Jehovah  is  my  strength and  I  am  helped  ;  my  heart  exulteth,  and 

with  my  song  will  I  confess  to  Him  "  (xxviii.  7). 

Because  "song"  signifies  confession  from  joy  of  heart,  it  is  said, 
"  my  heart  exulteth,  and  with  my  song  will  I  confess  to  Him."  [9.] 
In  the  same, 

"Sing  aloud,  ye  righteous,  in  Jehovah Confess  to  Jehovah  on  the 

harp,  sing  praises  to  Him  with  the  psaltery  of  ten  strings.  Sing 
unto  Him  a  new  song,  play  skilfully  with  a  loud  noise  "  {Psalm 
xxxiii.  1-3). 

As  joy  of  heart  is  both  from  celestial  love  and  from  spiritual  love, 
it  is  said,  "Sing  aloud,  ye  righteous,  in  Jehovah,  confess  to  Jeho- 
vah on  the  harp  ;  sing  praises  to  Him  with  a  psaltery  of  ten 
strings."  "Sing  aloud,  ye  righteous,"  is  predicated  of  those  who 
are  in  celestial  love ;  "  Confess  on  the  harp,  and  sing  praises  with 
the  psaltery,"  of  those  who  are  in  spiritual  love.     That  those  who 


CHAP,   v.,    VERSE    9. — N.   326LcJ.  59I 

are  in  celestial  love  are  called  "righteous"  see  above  (n.  204M), 
and  that  "harp"  and  "psaltery"  are  predicated  of  those  who  are 
in  spiritual  good  (n.  323[.;,^])  ;  and  as  "  singing  "  means  confession 
from  the  joy  arising  from  these  loves,  it  is  said,  "Confess  to  Jeho- 
vah," "Sing  unto  Him  a  new  song."  The  exaltation  of  joy  Irom 
its  fulness  is  signitied  by  "  play  skilfully  with  a  loud  noise."  [10.]  In 
the  same, 

•'  I  will  praise  the  name  of  God  with  a  song,  and  will  magnify  Him  by 
confession  "  {Psalm  Ixix.  30). 

In  the  same, 

"When  I  shall  have  gone  with  them  to  the  house  of  God,  with  the  voice 
of  singing  and  confession,  the  multitude  keeping  holiday  "  {Psalm 
xlii.  4). 

In  the  same, 

"Confess  ye  to  Jehovah,  call  upon  His  name Sing  unto  Him,  sing 

praises  unto  Him"  {Psalm  cv.  i,  2  ;  cxlix.  i). 

In  the  same, 

"  I  will  confess  to  Jehovah  according  to  His  righteousness,  and  I  will  sing 
unto  the  name  of  Jehovah  most  high  "  {Psalm  vii.  17). 

In  the  same, 

"  My  heart  is  prepared,  O  God  ;  I  will  sing,  and  sing  praises.  Awake- 
thee,  my  glory  ;  awake  thee,  psaltery  and  harp I  will  con- 
fess unto  Thee,  O  Lord,  among  the  nations  ;  I  will  sing  praises 
unto  Thee  among  the  peoples  "  (Pjiz/w  Ivii.  7-9). 

Because  "to  sing  a  song"  signities  confession  from  joy  of  heart, 
in  these  passages  two  expressions  are  used,  "to  confess  and  to 
sing,"  "confession  and  song,"  "voice  of  singing  and  voice  of 
confession." 

[c]  [II.]  Where  the  Lord's  coming  is  treated  of,  the  expres-^ 
sion  "new  song"  is  used,  and  it  is  said  that  earth,  sea,  field,  forest,. 
trees,  Lebanon,  desert,  and  many  other  things,  should  "rejoice'" 
and  "exult,"  as  in  the  following.     In  David  : 

"O  sing  unto  Jehovah  a  new  song Make  a  loud  noise  unto  Jeho- 
vah, all  the  earth  ;  break  forth,  shout  for  joy,  and  sing, ....  with  the 
harp  and  the  voice  of  a  song  ;  with  trumpets,  and  with  the  sound 
of  a  cornet,  make  a  loud  noise  before  the  King,  Jehovah.  Let  the 
sea  and  the  fulness  thereof  give  forth  a  sound;  the  world  and 
they  that  dwell  therein.  Let  the  floods  clap  their  hands  ;  let  the 
mountains  be  joyful  together"  {Psalm  xcviii.  i,  4-8). 

In  the  same, 

"  O  sing  unto  Jehovah  a  new  song  ;  sing  unto  Jehovah,  all  the  earth. 
Sing  unto  Jehovah,  bless  His  name  ;  proclaim  His  salvation  from 

day  to  day The  heavens  shall  be  glad,  and  the  earth  shall 

rejoice  ;  the  sea  shall  be  moved,  and  all  the  fulness  thereof  ;  the  field 
shall  exult,  and  all  that  is  therein  ;  then  shall  all  the  trees  of  the. 
forest  sing"  {Psalm  xcvi.  i,  2,  11,  12). 


592  APOCALYPSE    KX PLAINED. 


In  the  same, 


*'  Sing  unto  Jehovah  a  new  song,  His  praise  in  the  assembly  of  the  saints. 
Let  Israel  rejoice  in  his  makers,  the  sons  of  Zion  in  their  King. 
Let  them  praise  His  name  in  the  dance  ;  let  them  sing  praises  un- 
to Him  with  the  timbrel  and  harp  "  {Psalm  cxlix.  1-3). 

In  Isaiah: 

"  Sing  unto  Jehovah  a  new  song  ;  His  praise.  O  end  of  the  earth 

Let  the  wilderness  and  the  cities  thereof  lift  up  the  voice  "  (xlii. 
10,  11). 

In  the  same, 

"  Sing,  O  ye  heavens,  for  Jehovah  hath  done  it ;  shout  for  joy,  ye  lower 
parts  of  the  earth  ;  break  forth  into  singing,  ye  mountains,  O  forest 
and  every  tree  therein  ;  for  Jehovah  hath  redeemed  Jacob,  and 
hath  shown  Himself  glorious  in  Israel  "  (xliv.  23  ;  xlix.  13). 

Here  the  Lord,  His  coming,  and  salvation  through  Him  are 
treated  of;  and  because  these  things  were  about  to  take  place 
it  is  said,  "a  new  song."  The  j'oy  on  this  account  is  described 
not  only  by  "singing,"  "singing  praises,"  "breaking  forth,"  "be- 
ing joyful,"  "clapping  the  hands,"  but  also  by  various  musical 
instruments  of  accordant  sounds ;  also  that  rivers,  sea,  field, 
forests,  trees  therein,  Lebanon,  desert,  mountains,  and  many 
other  things,  should  "rejoice,"  "exult,"  "sing,"  "shout  for  joy," 
"clap  the  hands,"  and  "cry  aloud,"  together.  Like  things  are 
predicated  of  these  objedls  because  they  signify  such  things  as 
are  of  the  church,  and  therefore  such  things  as  are  with  the 
man  of  the  church,  "  rivers"  the  things  that  are  of  intelligence, 
"sea"  the  things  of  knowledge  {scientiae)  that  are  in  agreement  with 
truths  and  goods,  "field"  the  good  of  the  church,  "forests"  the 
truths  of  the  natural  man,  "trees"  knowledges,  "Lebanon"  spir- 
itual truth  and  good,  "desert"  a  desire  for  truth  that  good  may 
be  gained,  and  "mountains"  goods  of  love.  All  these  things  are 
said  "  to  sing,"  "  to  break  forth,"  "to  shout  for  joy,"  "  to  cry  aloud," 
and  "to  clap  the  hands,"  when  they  are  from  heaven,  for  then 
heavenly  joy  is  in  them,  and  through  them  in  man  ;  for  man  is  not 
in  heavenly  joy  unless  the  things  in  him,  which  are  truths  and 
goods,  are  from  heaven  ;  from  these  is  joy  of  heart  that  is  truly 
joy,  and  from  these  is  the  joy  of  the  man  with  whom  they  are. 
From  this  it  can  be  seen  why  the  same  is  said  of  these  things 
as  of  man,  namely,  because  joy  is  in  them,  and  in  man  through 
them.  Such  joy  is  in  every  spiritual  and  celestial  good,  and 
therefrom  in  those  in  whom  these  goods  are ;  for  heaven  flows 
in  with  its  joy,  that  is,  the  Lord  through  heaven,  into  the  goods 
and  their  truths  that  are  from  Him  in  man,  and  through  these  into 
the  man,  but  not  into  the  man  who  is  destitute  or  devoid  of  theuL 


CHAP,  v.,  VERSE   9. — N.  326[^].  593 

These  goods  and  the  truths  therefrom  are  what  "exult,"  "shout 
for  joy,"  "break  forth,"  "sing,"  "sing  praises,"  that  is,  are  glad 
because  of  the  influx  from  heaven,  and  from  these  the  heart  of 
man  is  glad  also. 

[<f.]  [12.]  As  there  are  various  affedlions  for  good  and  truth, 
and  each  expresses  itself  by  appropriate  sound,  so  in  the  Word, 
especially  in  David,  various  kinds  of  instruments  are  mentioned, 
which  signify  corresponding  affe6tions.  One  who  is  acquainted 
with  the  internal  sense  of  the  Word,  and  also  with  the  sounds  of 
the  instruments  there  named,  can  know  what  affe(5lion  is  signified 
and  described  by  each.  Angels  know  this  from  the  mere  mention 
of  the  instruments  when  a  man  is  reading  the  Word,  and  also 
from  what  is  described  in  the  words  of  the  passage.  TIuis,  for 
example,  in  David : 

"  Clap  your  hands,  all  ye  peoples  ;  sing  together  unto  God  with  the  voice 

of  a  song God  is  gone  up  with  a  shout,  Jehovah  with  the 

voice  of  a  trumpet.  Sing  unto  God,  sing  unto  our  King, ....  for 
God  is  King  of  all  the  earth  ;  sing  ve  with  understanding"  {Psalm 
xlvii.  I,  5-7). 

In  the  same, 

"They  have  seen  Thy  goings,  O  God,  the  goings  of  my  God The 

singers  went  before,  the  minstrels  after,  in  the  midst  of  damsels 
playing  with  timbrels  "  {Psalm  Ixviii.  24,  25). 

In  the  same, 

"  Shout  with  joy  unto  God  our  strength  ;  call  unto  the  God  of  Jacob. 
Lift  up  a  song,  and  strike  the  timbrel,  the  pleasant  harp  with  the 
psaltery.  Sound  with  the  trumpet  in  the  new  moon  "  (Psalm  Ixxxi. 
1-3). 

In  the  same, 

"  Praise  God  ....  with  the  sound  of  the  trumpet, ....  with  the  psaltery 
and  harp, ....  with  the  timbrel  and  dance with  stringed  in- 
struments and  the  organ, ....  with  cymbals  of  soft  sound,  ....  with 
cymbals  of  loud  sound"  {Psalm  cl.  i,  3-5). 

All  the  instruments  here  mentioned  signify  affedions,  each  its  own, 
and  this  from  the  correspondence  of  their  sound  ;  for  afife6tions  are 
what  produce  varieties  of  sounds  with  men,  consequently  from  the 
sounds  the  affections  are  known,  as  was  said  above  in  this  article. 
[13.]  I  will  add  to  this  an  arcanum  :  the  angels  who  constitute  in 
heaven  the  Lord's  celestial  kingdom,  when  man  is  reading  the 
Word,  draw  from  his  affe6lion  alone  the  internal  sense  of  it, 
which  affedlion  arises  from  the  sound  of  the  words  in  the  orig- 
inal tongue ;  but  the  angels  who  are  in  the  Lord's  spiritual  king- 
dom draw  the  internal  sense  from  the  truths  that  the  words 
contain ;    therefore  the  man    who   is    in    spiritual    affedtion   has 


594  APOCALYPSK    EXI'I.AINKI). 

from  the  celestial  kinodoin  joy  of  heart,  and  from  the  spiritual 
kingdom  confession  from  that  joy.  The  sounds  of  the  musical 
instruments  that  are  here  mentioned  call  forth  the  affecflion,  and 
the  truths  give  form  to  it.  That  this  is  so  is  well  known  to  those 
skilled  in  the  art  of  music.  For  this  reason  the  Psalms  of  David 
are  called  "psalms,"  from  psallere  [to  play]  ;  they  are  also  called 
"  songs "  from  singing  ;  for  they  were  played  and  sung  with  ac- 
companying sounds  upon  various  instruments.  That  they  were 
called  "psalms"  by  David  is  known,  as  most  of  them  are  so  in- 
scribed.    Those  that  are  called  songs  are  the  following, 

Psalm  xviii.  i  ;  xxxiii.  i,  3 ;  xlv.  i ;  xlvi.  i ;  xlviii.  i  ;  Ixv.  i ;  Ixvi.  i  ; 
Ixvii.  I  ;  Ixviii.  i  ;  Ixxv.  i ;  Ixxvi.  i  ;  [Ixxxiii.  i  ;]  Ixxxvii.  i  ;  Ixxxviii. 
I  ;  xcii.  I  ;  xcvi.  i  ;  xcviii.  i  ;  cviii.  i  ;  cxx.  i  ;  cxxi.  i  ;  cxxii.  I  ; 
cxxiii.  1  ;  cxxiv.  i  ;  cxxv.  i  ;  cxxvi.  i  ;  cxxvii.  i  ;  cxxviii.  i  ;  cxxix. 
I  ;  cxxx.  I  ;  cxxxi.  i  ;  cxxxii.  i ;  cxxxiii.  i  ;  cxxxiv.  i.  [The  title 
of  the  Psalm  is  here  included  in  the  first  verse.] 

Many  other  passages  might  be  cited  from  the  Word  respecting 
singing  and  song,  and  it  might  be  shown  that  they  signify  con- 
fessions from  joy  of  heart,  but  they  are  omitted  because  of  theii 
number ;  those  already  referred  to  are  sufficient. 

327.  "Saying,  Worthy  art  Thou  to  open  the  book  and  to  loose 
the  seals  thereof"  signifies  that  the  Lord  from  the  Divine  Human 
has  omnipotence  and  omniscience. — This  is  evident  from  all  that 
precedes  ;  for  the  subje6l  treated  of  up  to  this  point  is  that  the 
Lord  from  the  Divine  Human  has  omnipotence  and  omniscience, 
and  that  judgment,  therefore,  belongs  to  Him.  That  this  is  meant 
by  "Thou  art  worthy  to  open  the  book  and  to  loose  the  seals 
thereof"  is  clear  from  the  connection  of  the  things  explained  from 
the  beginning  of  this  chapter  to  the  present  verse,  which  I  will 
here  present  in  their  order,  as  follows  :  "  I  saw  in  the  right  hand 
of  Him  that  sat  upon  the  throne"  signifies  the  Lord  in  respect  to 
omnipotence  and  omniscience  (n.  297)  ;  "  a  book  written  within 
and  on  the  back,  sealed  with  seven  seals,"  signifies  the  state  of  the 
life  of  all  in  heaven  and  on  earth  altogether  hidden  (n.  299,  300)  ; 
"  I  saw  a  strong  angel  proclaiming  with  a  great  voice,  Who  is 
worthy  to  open  the  book  and  to  loose  the  seals  thereof?"  signifies 
exploration  whether  there  is  any  one  capable  of  knowing  and  per- 
ceiving the  state  of  the  life  of  all  (n.  302,  303)  ;  "no  one  was  able,  in 
heaven  nor  upon  the  earth  nor  under  the  earth,  to  open  the  book," 
signifies  that  no  one  from  himself  can  do  this  at  all  (n.  304M)  ; 
"  Behold,  the  Lion  that  is  from  the  tribe  of  Judah,  the  Root  of 
David,  hath  overcome  to  open  the  book  and  to  loose  the  seven 
seals  thereof,"  signifies  the  Lord  [as  able  to  do  this]  because  from 


CHAP,    v.,  VERSE   9. — N.   328[a].  595 

His  own  power  He  subjugated  the  hells  and  reduced  all  things  in 
the  heavens  to  order,  and  this  by  Divine  good  united  to  Divine 
truth  in  His  Human  (n.  309,  310)  ;  "  I  saw  a  Lamb  standing,  having 
seven  horns  and  seven  eyes  "  signifies  the  Lord  in  respe6l  to  the 
Divine  Human,  that  from  it  He  has  omnipotence  and  omniscience 
(n.  314,  T,i6[a,i],  317);  and  "He  came  and  took  the  book  out  of 
the  right  hand  of  Him  that  sat  upon  the  throne "  signifies  that 
these  things  are  from  His  Divine  Human  (n.  319).  From  this  it 
is  now  clear  that  here  "  Worthy  art  Thou  to  take  the  book  and 
to  loose  the  seals  thereof,"  signifies  that  the  Lord  from  the  Divine 
Human  has  omnipotence  and  omniscience. 

328[r«].  "For  Thou  wast  slain,  and  didst  redeem  us  to  God 
in  Thy  blood,"  signifies  separation  of  all  from  the  Divine,  and  coji- 
ju7iclio7i  with  the  Divine  by  acknowledg7nent  of  the  Lord,  and  by 
reception  of  Divine  truth  from  Him. — This  is  e\ident  from  the 
signification  of  "being  slain,"  as  meaning,  in  reference  to  the  Lord, 
separation  of  all  from  the  Divine,  for  "to  be  slain"  signifies  in  the 
Word  to  be  spiritually  slain,  that  is,  to  perish  by  evils  and  falsities 
(see  above,  n.  315);  and  because  the  Lord  with  such  is  not,  for 
He  is  denied,  "being  slain"  signifies,  in  reference  to  the  Lord,  not 
acknowledged  (as  above,  n.  315)  and  also  denied  ;  and  when  the 
Lord  is  denied  He  is  as  it  were  slain  with  such  as  deny,  and  by 
the  denial  they  are  separated  from  the  Divine  ;  for  such  as  deny 
the  Lord,  that  is,  His  Divine,  separate  themselves  entirely  from 
the  Divine.  For  the  Lord  is  the  God  of  the  universe,  and  He  is 
one  with  the  Father,  and  the  Father  is  in  Him  and  He  in  the  Fa- 
ther, and  no  one  cometh  to  the  Father  but  by  Him,  as  the  Lord 
Himself  teaches  ;  consequently  those  in  the  church  who  do  not 
acknowledge  His  Divine,  and  still  more  those  who  in  heart  deny 
it,  are  entirely  separated  from  the  Divine.  [2.]  Denying  the  Di- 
vine is  here  meant  by  slaying  Him  in  themselves.  In  the  internal 
sense  of  the  Word  the  same  is  meant  by  "crucifying  the  Lord" 
(see  above,  n.  83,  I95[f])  ;  for  the  Jews,  with  whom  the  church  then 
was,  denied  that  He  was  the  Christ,  and  thereby  separated  them- 
selves from  the  Divine  ;  and  consequently  they  gave  Him  up  to 
death,  or  crucified  Him.  Moreover,  at  this  day  those  who  deny 
His  Divine  do  the  same  ;  it  is  therefore  frequently  said  by  preachers 
that  those  who  lead  an  evil  life  and  blaspheme  the  Lord  crucify 
Him  in  themselves.  This,  therefore,  is  what  is  here  signified  by 
"Thou  wast  slain."  This  is  evident  also  from  the  signification  of 
"Thou  didst  redeem  us  to  God  in  Thy  blood,"  as  meaning  that 
He  conjoined   us    to  the    Divine  by  acknowledgment  of  Him, 


596  APOCALYPSE   EXPLAINED. 

and  by  reception  of  Divine  truth  from  Him  ;  for  "  to  redeem  "  sig- 
nifies to  liberate  from  hell,  and  thereby  to  take  men  to  Him- 
self, and  thus  conjoin  them  to  the  Divine,  as  will  be  seen  from 
passages  in  the  Word  in  which  "to  redeem"  and  "redemption" 
are  mentioned,  which  will  be  quoted  below.  The  "blood  of  the 
Lord"  signifies  Di\'ine  truth  going  forth  from  Him  ;  and  because 
man  by  reception  of  Divine  truth  from  the  Lord  is  liberated  from 
hell  and  conjoined  to  Him,  "Thou  didst  redeem  us  to  God  in  Thy 
blood"  signifies  conjunction  with  the  Divine  by  reception  of  the 
Divine  truth  from  the  Lord.  [3.]  That  this  sense  lies  hidden  in 
these  words  no  one  can  see  who  abides  in  the  mere  sense  of  the  let- 
ter, for  in  that  sense  nothing  else  can  be  seen  except  that  "  Thou 
wast  slain"  means  that  He  was  crucified  ;  and  "Thou  didst  redeem 
us  in  Thy  blood  "  means  that  He  has  reconciled  us  to  His  Father  by 
the  passion  of  the  cross.  Because  this  meaning  is  the  meaning  of 
the  letter,  and  because  it  has  hitherto  been  unknown  that  in  every 
particular  of  the  Word  there  is  an  internal  sense  which  is  spiritual, 
from  that  sense,  namely,  the  sense  of  the  letter,  it  has  been  made 
a  do6lrine  of  the  church  that  the  Divine  itself  which  is  called  the 
Father  cast  away  from  Him  the  whole  human  race,  and  that  the 
Lord  by  the  passion  of  the  cross  made  reconciliation,  and  that 
thus  those  for  whom  He  intercedes  are  saved.  Who  that  has 
any  enlightenment  of  understanding  cannot  see  that  this  do6lrinal 
is  contrary  to  the  Divine  itself?  For  the  Divine  itself  never  casts 
away  any  man  from  Him ;  He  loves  all,  and  therefore  desires  the 
salvation  of  all.  It  is  also  contrary  to  the  Divine  itself  to  be  recon- 
ciled by  the  shedding  of  blood,  and  to  be  brought  back  to  mercy 
by  beholding  the  passion  of  the  cross  which  His  own  Son  sustained, 
and  from  this  to  have  mercv,  and  not  from  Himself.  Although 
this  do6lrine  is  so  contrary  to  the  Divine  essence,  yet  to  belie\e  this 
is  called  essential  faith  or  justifying  faith.  [4.]  Again,  who  can 
think  from  enlightened  reason  that  the  sins  of  the  whole  world 
were  transferred  to  the  Lord,  and  that  the  sins  of  any  one  who 
merely  has  that  faith  are  thereby  taken  away?  But  although  this 
is  the  do61rine  of  those  who  never  think  beyond  the  sense  of  the 
letter,  yet  the  angels  who  are  with  men  have  no  perception  of 
these  things  according  to  that  sense,  but  according  to  the  spiritual 
sense,  for  they  are  spiritual  and  therefore  think  spiritually  and  not 
naturally.  To  angels,  "redeeming  man  in  His  blood"  means  lib- 
erating man  from  hell,  and  thus  claiming  and  conjoining  man  to 
Himself  by  acknowledgment  of  Him,  and  by  reception  of  Divine 
truth  from   Him.     Moreover,  the  chur('h  mav  know  that  tliis  i-; 


CHAP,    v.,  VERSE   9. — N.  328[^].  597 

SO ;  for  it  may  know  that  one  is  conjoined  to  the  Divine  not  by 
blood,  but  by  reception  of  the  Divine  truth,  and  application  of  it 
to  the  life.  [5.]  Liberation  from  hell  by  tlie  Lord  was  accom- 
plished by  His  assuming  the  Human,  and  through  it  subjugating 
the  hells,  and  reducing  to  order  all  things  in  the  heavens,  which 
could  have  been  done  in  no  way  except  by  a  Human ;  for  the 
Divine  operates  from  firsts  through  outmosts,  thus  from  Himself 
through  the  things  that  are  from  Himself  in  outmosts  which  are 
in  the  Human.     This  is  the  operation  of  Divine  power  in  heaven 

and  in  the  world.  (On  this  see  some  things  above,  n.  4I  ;  also  in  Heaven  and 
Hell,  n.  315  ;   and  in  A.C.,  n.  5897,  6239,  6451,  6465,  8603,  9215,  9216,  9824,  9828, 

9836,  10044,  10099,  10329.  10335,  10548.)  Liberation  from  hell  by  the 
Lord  was  also  accomplished  by  His  glorifying  His  Human,  that 
is,  making  it  Divine ;  for  thus  and  not  otherwise  could  He  hold 
the  hells  in  subjedlion  forever :  and  as  the  subjugation  of  the 
hells  and  the  glorification  of  His  Human  was  accomplished  by 
means  of  temptations  admitted  into  His  Human,  His  passion  of 
the  cross  was  His  last  temptation  and  complete  vidlory.  That 
"He  bore  the  sins  of  all"  signifies  that  He  admitted  into  Himself 
all  the  hells  when  He  was  tempted,  for  from  the  hells  all  sins 
or  evils  ascend,  and  enter  into  and  are  in  man ;  therefore  the 
Lord's  "bearing  sins"  signifies  that  He  admitted  the  hells  into 
Himself  when  tempted  ;  and  His  "taking  away  sins"  means  that 
He  subjugated  the  hells,  in  order  that  evils  may  no  more  rise  up 
from  them  in  those  who  acknowledge  the  Lord  and  receive  Him, 
that  is,  who  receive  in  faith  and  life  the  Divine  truth  going  forth 
from  Him,  and  who  are  thus  conjoined  to  the  Lord. 

[ft.]  It  was  said  that  "  Thou  didst  redeem  us  to  God  in  Thy 
blood"  signifies  conjun6lion  with  the  Divine  by  acknowledgment 
of  the  Lord,  and  reception  of  Divine  truth  from  Him  ;  and  as  the 
church  is  founded  on  this,  I  will  state  briefly  how  conjundlion  is 
thereby  effe6led.  [6.]  The  primary  thing  is  to  acknowledge  the 
Lord,  to  acknowledge  His  Divine  in  the  Human,  and  His  omni- 
potence to  save  the  human  race ;  for  by  that  acknowledgment  man 
is  conjoined  to  the  Divine,  since  there  is  no  Divine  except  in  Him  ; 
the  Father  is  there,  for  the  Father  is  in  Him,  and  He  in  the  Father, 
as  the  Lord  Himself  teaches ;  consequently  those  who  look  to 
another  Divine  near  Him,  or  at  His  side,  as  those  are  wont  to  do 
who  pray  to  the  Father  to  have  mercy  for  the  sake  of  the  Son,  turn 
aside  from  the  way  and  worship  a  Divine  elsewhere  than  in  Him. 
Moreover,  they  then  give  no  thought  to  the  Divine  of  the  Lord, 
but  only  to  the  Human,  when  yet  these  can  not  be  separated  ;  for 
the  Divine  and  the  Human  are  not  two,  but  a  single  person,  con- 


598  Al'OCAi.Vl'SK    KXFI.AINKD. 

joined  likesonl  and  body, according  to  ihc  doctrine  received  by  the 
churches  from  the  Athanasian  Creed.  Therefore  to  acknowledge 
the  Divine  in  the  Lord's  Human,  that  is,  the  Divine  Human,  is 
the  primary  thing  of  the  church,  by  which  there  is  conjunction  ; 
and  because  it  is  the  primary  it  is  also  the  hrst  thing  of  the  church. 
It  is  because  this  is  the  first  thing  of  the  church,  that  the  Lord, 
when  He  was  in  the  world,  so  often  said  to  those  whom  He  healed, 
"Believest  thou  that  I  am  able  to  do  this?"  and  when  they  an- 
swered that  they  believed,  He  said,  "Be  it  done  according  to  thy 
faith."  This  He  so  often  said  that  they  might  believe,  in  the  first 
place,  that  from  His  Divine  Human  He  had  Divine  Omnipotence, 
for  without  that  belief  the  church  could  not  be  begun,  and  without 
that  belief  they  could  not  have  been  conjoined  with  the  Divine, 
but  must  have  been  separated  from  it,  and  thus  would  have  been 
able  to  receive  nothing  good  from  Him.  [7.]  Afterwards  the 
Lord  taught  how  they  were  to  be  saved,  namely,  by  receiving 
Divine  truth  from  Him ;  and  truth  is  recei\'ed  when  it  is  applied 
to  the  life  and  implanted  in  the  life  by  doing  it ;  therefore  the  Lord 
so  often  said  that  they  should  do  His  words.  From  this  it  can  be 
seen  that  these  two  things,  namely,  believing  in  the  Lord  and  do- 
ing His  words,  make  one,  and  can  by  no  means  be  separated  ;  for 
he  who  does  not  do  the  Lord's  words  does  not  believe  in  Him  ; 
likewise  he  who  thinks  that  He  believes  in  Him  and  does  not  do 
His  words  does  not  believe  in  Him,  for  the  Lord  is  in  His  words, 
that  is,  in  His  truths,  and  out  of  them  He  gives  faith  to  man.  From 
these  few  things  it  can  be  known  that  conjun6lion  with  the  Divine  • 
is  effe6led  through  acknowledgment  of  the  Lord  and  reception 
of  Divine  truth  from  Him.  This,  therefore,  is  what  is  signified  by 
"the  Lamb  redeeming  us  to  God  in  His  blood."  That  "the 
Lamb"  signifies  the  Lord  in  respe6t  to  the  Divine  Human,  see 

above  (n.  3^4*)  (^"  '^'^  more  may  be  seen  in  the  Doih-'uie  of  the  New  yeru- 
salem,  n.  293-297,  and  quotations  from  A.C.,  n.  300-306,  as  also  at  the  end  of  that 
work,  where  the  Lord  is  particularly  treated  of.) 

[c]  That  "blood"  signifies  Divine  truth  going  forth  from  the 
Lord,  and  that  "salvation  by  His  blood"  signifies  by  reception  of 
Divine  truth  from  Him,  will  be  explained  in  the  following  article. 
[8.]  That  "to  redeem"  signifies  to  deHver  and  to  make  free,  and, 
in  reference  to  the  Lord,  to  deliver  and  free  from  hell,  and  thus  to 
set  apart  and  conjoin  to  Himself,  can  be  seen  from  the  following 
passages.     In  Isaiah: 

"  Who  is  this  that  cometh  from  Edoni,  ....  walking  in  the  multitude  of 

His  strength?     I  that  speak  in  righteousness,  mighty  to  save 

For  the  day  of  vengeance  is  in  My  heart,  and  the  year  of  My  re- 
deemed hath  come In  all  their  straitness  the  straitness  was 


CHAP,  v.,  VERSE    g. — N.  328[r].  599 

His,  and  the  angel  of  His  faces  preserved  them  ;  because  of  His 
love  and  His  pity  He  redeemed  them  ;  and  He  took  them,  and 
will  carry  them  all  the  days  of  eternity"  (Ixiii.  i,  4,  9). 

This  treats  of  the  Lord  and  His  temptation-combats,  by  which 
He  subjugated  the  hells.  "  Edom,"  from  which  He  cometh,  sig- 
nifies His  Human,  so  also  does  "the  angel  of  His  faces."  His 
Divine  power  from  which  He  fought  is  signified  by  "  walking 
in  the  multitude  of  His  strength  ;"  the  casting  down  into  hell  of 
those  who  rose  up  against  Him  and  the  elevation  of  the  good  into 
heaven  is  meant  by  "righteousness,"  also  by  these  words,  "I  that 
speak  in  righteousness,  mighty  to  save.  For  the  day  of  vengeance 
is  in  my  heart,  and  the  year  of  my  redeemed  hath  come."  His 
Divine  love  from  which  He  did  these  things  is  described  by  "  In 
all  their  straitness  the  straitness  was  His,  and  the  angel  of  His 
faces  preserved  them  ;  because  of  His  love  and  His  pity  He  re- 
deemed them  ;  and  He  took  them,  and  will  carry  them  all  the 
days  of  eternity."  From  this  it  is  clear  that  "the  redeemed"  and 
"those  whom  He  redeemed"  signify  those  whom  He  delivered 
from  the  fury  of  those  who  are  from  hell,  and  whom  He  sa\ed. 
[9.]    In  the  same, 

"  Thus  hath  said  Jehovah  thy  Creator,  O  Jacob,  and  thy  Former,  O  Israel 
[Fear  not]  ;  for  I  have  redeemed  thee,  I  have  called  thee  by  thy 
name  ;  thou  art  Mine  "  (xliii.  i). 

That  "to  redeem"  signifies  to  free  from  hell,  and  to  set  apart  and 
conj'oin  to  Himself  so  that  they  may  be  His,  is  clear,  for  it  is  said, 
""  I  have  redeemed  thee,  I  have  called  thee  by  thy  name ;  thou  art 
Mine  ;"  because  this  is  effe6led  by  reformation  and  regeneration 
by  the  Lord,  it  is  said,  "Jehovah  thy  Creator,  O  Jacob,  and  thy 
Former,  O  Israel."  He  is  called  Creator  because  "to  create"  in 
the  Word  signifies  to  regenerate  (see  above,  n.  294).  "Jacob" 
and  "  Israel"  signify  those  who  are  of  the  church,  and  are  in  truths 
from  good.     [lO.]    In  the  same, 

"Say  ye  to  the  daughter  of  Zion,  Behold,  thy  salvation  cometh  ;  behold, 
His  reward  is  with  Him,  and  the  wages  of  His  work  are  before 
Him.  And  they  shall  call  them  a  people  of  holiness,  the  redeemed 
of  Jehovah"  (Ixii.  11,  12). 

This  also  treats  of  the  Lord's  coming,  and  the  establishment  of  a 
church  by  Him.  "Daughter  of  Zion"  signifies  the  church  which 
is  in  love  to  the  Lord  ;  His  coming  is  meant  by  "  Behold,  thy  sal- 
vation cometh ;  behold,  His  reward  is  with  Him,  and  the  wages 
of  His  work  are  before  Him  ;"  those  who  are  reformed  and  re- 
generated by  Him  are  meant  by  "the  redeemed  of  Jehovah." 
[II.]    These  are  called  the  "redeemed"  because  they  have  been 


6oO  APOCALYPSE   EXPLAINED. 

freed  from  evils  by  regeneration,  and  are  set  apart  by  the  Lord 
and  are  conjoined  to  Him.     In  the  same, 

"  No  lion  shall  be  there,  and  the  ravenous  of  the  wild  beasts ....  shall 
not  be  found  therein;  but  the  redeemed  shall  go;  so  shall  the 
redeemed  of  Jehovah  return,  and  come  to  Zion  with  singing,  and 
the  joy  of  eternity  shall  be  upon  their  head  "  (xxxv.  9,  10). 

This  also  treats  of  the  Lord's  coming,  and  the  salvation  of  those 
who  suffer  themselves  to  be  regenerated  by  the  Lord.  That  with 
such  there  shall  not  be  falsity  destroying  truth  nor  evil  destroying 
good,  is  signified  by  "  No  lion  shall  be  there,  and  the  ravenous  of 
the  wild  beasts  shall  not  be  found  therein  ;"  that  such  are  delivered 
from  evils  and  freed  from  falsities  is  signified  by  "the  redeemed 
shall  go  ;  so  shall  the  redeemed  of  Jehovah  return  ;"  their  eternal 
happiness  is  signified  by  "they  shall  come  to  Zion  with  singing, 
and  the  joy  of  eternity  shall  be  upon  their  head,"  "  Zion  "  meaning 
the  church.  What  "singing"  signifies  see  just  above  (n. 326[a,^]). 
There  are  two  words  in  the  original  by  which  "to  redeem"  is  ex- 
pressed, one  signifying  deliverance  from  evils,  the  other  liberation 
from  falsities ;  these  two  words  are  used  here ;  thus  it  is  said,  "the 
redeemed  shall  go,"  and  "the  redeemed  of  Jehovah  shall  return." 

(These  two  words  are  also  used  in  Hosea  xiii.  14  ;  and  in  David,  Psalm 
Ixix.  18  ;  cvii.  2.) 

[«I.]  [12.]  "  To  redeem  "  signifies  to  deliver  from  evils  and  ta 
free  from  falsities,  and  also  to  deliver  and  free  from  hell,  because  all 
evils  and  falsities  with  man  arise  out  of  hell ;  and  since  the  Lord 
removes  these  by  reformation  and  regeneration,  reformation  and 
regeneration  also  are  signified  by  "to  redeem"  or  "  redemption  ;'* 
as  in  the  following  passages,     [13.]  In  David, 

"Rise  up  as  a  help  to  us,  and  redeem  us  for  Thy  loving  kindness'  sake** 
{Psalm  xliv.  26) ; 

"to  redeem"  here  meaning  to  free  and  to  reform.     In  the  same, 

"  God  hath  redeemed  my  soul  from  the  hand  of  hell ;  and  He  will  accept 
me  "  {Psalm  xlix.  15). 

"To  redeem  from  the  hand  of  hell"  means  to  free;  "to  accept 
me"  means  to  set  apart  and  to  conjoin  to  Himself,  that  is,  to 
make  His  own,  as  servants  sold  and  redeemed.     In  Hosea: 

"  Out  of  the  hand  of  hell  will  I  redeem  them  ;  I  will  redeem  them  from 
death  "  (xiii.  14) ; 

"to  redeem"  meaning  to  deliver  and  free  from  damnation.  In 
David, 


CHAP,  v.,  VERSE   9. — N.  328[<2'].  60I 

"  Bless  Jehovah,  O  my  soul, who  hath  redeemed  thy  life  from  the 

pit"  {Psalm  ciii.  i,  4). 

"To  redeem  from  the  pit"  means  to  free  from  damnation,  "the 
pit"  meaning  damnation.     In  the  same, 

"  Draw  nigh  unto  my  soul,  redeem  it,  and  because  of  my  enemies  redeem 
me  "  {Psalm  Ixix.  18). 

"To  draw  nigh  to  the  soul"  signifies  to  conjoin  it  to  Himself;  "to 
redeem  it"  signifies  to  deliver  from  evils;  "because  of  my  ene- 
mies redeem  me"  signifies  to  free  from  falsities,  "enemies"  mean- 
ing falsities.     In  the  same, 

"  Let  the  redeemed  of  Jehovah  say,  whom  He  hath  redeemed  out  of  the 
hand  of  the  restraining  enemy"  {Psalm  cvii.  2). 

"The  redeemed  of  Jehovah"  means  those  who  are  delivered  from 
evils ;  "whom  He  hath  redeemed  out  of  the  hand  of  the  restraining 
enemy"  means  those  whom  He  has  freed  from  falsities.  In  Jere- 
miah: 

'•  I  am  with  thee,  to  keep  thee  and  to  deliver  thee ; and  I  will  deliver 

thee  out  of  the  hand  of  the  evil,  and  I  will  redeem  thee  out  of  the 
hand  of  the  violent"  (xv.  20,  21). 

"To  redeem  out  of  the  hand  of  the  violent"  means  to  free  from 
falsities  that  offer  violence  to  the  good  of  charity;  the  "violent" 
signifying  such  falsities,  consequently  those  also  who  are  in  them. 
[14.]    In  David  : 

"  Let  Israel  hope  in  Jehovah,  for  with  Jehovah  there  is  mercy,  and  in 
Him  is  plenteous  redemption,  and  He  shall  redeem  Israel  out  of  all 
his  iniquities"  (Psalm  cxxx.  7,  8). 

"Redemption"  means  liberation  ;  "Israel"  the  church;  and  to 
reform  those  who  are  of  the  church  and  free  them  from  falsities  is 
signified  by  "  He  shall  redeem  Israel  out  of  all  his  iniquities."  In 
the  same, 

"  Let  integrity  and  uprightness  guard  me  ;  for  I  have  waited  for  thee. 
Redeem  Israel,  O  God,  out  of  all  his  straitnesses  "  {Psalm  xxv. 
21,  22). 

"  To  redeem  Israel  out  of  straitnesses"  means  here  also  to  free  those 
who  are  of  the  church  from  falsities,  which  straiten.     In  Isaiah  : 

"  Is  My  hand  shortened,  that  there  is  no  redemption  ?  or  is  there  no  power 
in  Me  to  deliver?"  (1.  2.) 

That  "redemption"  means  liberation  is  evident,  for  it  is  said  also,. 
"  Is  My  hand  shortened,  or  is  there  no  power  in  Me  to  deliver  r 
In  David  : 


6o2  Ai'oe  Ai.N  I'si'.  i:xi'i.AiNi:i). 

God  "  shall  hear  my  voice  ;  lie  sli.ill  redeem  my  soul  in  peace  "  {J'salin 
Iv.  17,  18); 

"to  redeem"  here  means  to  free.     In  the  same, 

"  Unto  Thee  will  I  sing  with  the  harp,  Thou  Holy  One  of  Israel.  My 
lips  shall  praise  ; . .  .  .  and  my  soul,  which  Thou  hast  redeemed  " 
(Psalm  Ixxi.  22,  23). 

"  To  redeem  the  soul  "  means  to  free  from  falsities  ;  for  "soul  "  in 
the  Word  signifies  a  life  of  faith,  and  "  heart  "  a  life  of  love  ;  there- 
fore "  to  redeem  the  soul "  signifies  to  free  from  falsities  and  to 
give  a  life  of  faith.     [15.]    In  the  same, 

"  Redeem  me  from  the  oppression  of  man,  that  I  may  keep  Thy  com- 
mandments" [Psalm  cxix.  134). 

"To  redeem  from  the  oppression  of  man"  signifies  to  free  from 
falsities  of  evil,  for  "  man"  signifies  spiritual  affection  for  truth  and 
wisdom  therefrom,  and  in  the  contrary  sense,  as  here,  the  lust  of 
falsity  and  insanity  therefrom  ;  "the  oppression  of  man  "  signifies 
the  destru6tion  of  truth  by  falsities.     In  the  same, 

"  Into  Thine  hand  I  will  commend  my  spirit ;  Thou  hast  redeemed  me, 
O  lehovah,  God  of  truth"  (Psalm  xxxi.  5); 

"to  redeem"  means  to  free  from  falsities  and  to  reform  by  means 
of  truths  ;  and  because  this  is  signified  by  "  redeem  "  it  is  said,  "  O 
Jehovah,  God  of  truth."     In  the  same, 

''  Mischief  is  in  the  hands  of  sinners,  and  their  right  hand  is  full  of  a 
bribe.  But  as  for  me,  I  walk  in  mine  integrity  ;  redeem  me,  and 
be  merciful  unto  me  "  {Psalm  xxvi,  10,  11); 

"to  redeem"  meaning  to  free  from  falsities  and  to  reform.  In 
the  same, 

"  He  shall  redeem  their  soul  from  deceit  and  violence  ;  and  precious 
shall  their  blood  be  in  His  eyes.  And  he  shall  live,  and  to  him 
shall  He  give  of  the  gold  of  Sheba  ;  and  He  shall  pray  for  him  con- 
tinually ;  all  the  day  shall  He  bless  him"  (Psalm  Ixxii.  14,  15). 

The  "needy"  are  here  treated  of,  by  whom  those  are  signified 
who  desire  truths  from  spiritual  afife6lion  ;  of  these  it  is  said  that 
"  He  shall  redeem  their  soul  from  deceit  and  violence,"  which  sig- 
nifies liberation  from  evils  and  falsities  that  destroy  goods  of  love 
and  truths  of  faith  ;  reception  of  Divine  truth  by  them  is  signified 
by  "precious  shall  their  blood  be  in  His  eyes  ;"  their  reformation 
is  described  by  "  he  shall  live,  and  to  him  shall  He  give  of  the 
gold  of  Sheba  ;  and  He  shall  pray  for  him  continually  ;  all  the  day 
shall  He  bless  him."  "  The  gold  of  Sheba  "  is  the  good  of  charity  ; 
"to  pray  for  him  continually"  signifies  that  they  shall  constantly 


CHAP,    v.,   VERSE    9. — N.    328[rt'J.  603 

be  withheld  from  falsities  and  kept  in  truths;  and  "all  the  day 
shall  He  bless  him  "  signifies  that  they  shall  constantly  be  in  good 
of  charity  and  faith,  for  this  is  Divine  benedi(5lion  ;  while  to  with- 
hold from  falsities  and  to  keep  in  truths  is  "to  pray  for  him  con- 
tinally."     [16.]    \w  Isaiah  : 

Thus  said  Jehovah,"  For  nought  ye  have  been  sold,  and  not  by  silver  shall 

ye  be  redeemed My  people  went  down  into  Egypt  to  sojourn 

there,  but  Assyria  oppressed  them  for  nought"  (lii.  3,  4). 

This  treats  of  truths  laid  waste  by  knowledges  [scientifica)  and 
by  the  reasonings  of  the  natural  man  from  them  ;  for  "My  peo- 
ple went  down  into  Egypt  to  sojourn  there"  signifies  the 
instruction  of  the  natural  man  in  knowledges  [scientifica  et  cognitio- 

nes)   of   truth.      "Egypt"    signifies    knowledges    {scientifica    et  guogue 

cognitiones),  but  such  as  are  from  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the 
Word;  and  "to  sojourn"  signifies  to  be  instructed.  "Assyria 
oppressed  them  for  nought"  signifies  the  falsification  of  know- 
ledges by  the  reasonings  of  the  natural  man,  "Assyria''  signi- 
fying reasonings,  and  "to  oppress  for  nought"  falsification,  for 
falsities  are  nought  because  there  is  nothing  of  truth  in  them. 
Knowledges  are  thus  falsified  when  the  natural  man  separate  from 
the  spiritual  forms  conclusions  ;  this  is  why  it  is  said  first,  "  For 
nought  ye  have  been  sold,  and  not  by  silver  shall  ye  be  redeemed." 
"  For  nought  to  be  sold"  signifies  from  self  or  from  the  selfhood 
{ex  propria)  to  alienate  oneself  from  falsities  and  renounce  them  ; 
and  "not  by  silver  to  be  redeemed"  signifies  that  one  cannot  be 
delivered  by  means  of  truth  from  the  falsities  of  evil,  "silver" 
signifying  truth,  and  "  to  be  redeemed  "  signifying  to  be  delivered 
^rom  the  falsities  of  evil  and  to  be  reformed.    [17.]   InZechariah: 

"  I  will  gather  them  together,  because  I  will  redeem  them  :  then  shall 
they  be  multiplied;. . .  .and  I  will  sow  them  among  the  peoples  ; 
. . .  .and  I  will  bring  them  back  out  of  th«  land  [of  Egypt],  and  will 
gather  them  out  of  Assyria,  and  I  will  lead  them  to  the  land  of 
Gilead  and  to  Lebanon  "  (x.  8-10). 

This  treats  of  the  restoration  of  the  church,  and  reformation  by 
means  of  truths  from  good  ;  and  "  I  will  gather  them  together, 
because  I  will  redeem  them,"  signifies  the  dispersion  of  falsities  and 
reformation  by  means  of  truths  ;  therefore  it  it  said,  "they  shall  be 
multiplied,  and  I  will  sow  them  among  the  peoples,"  which  signi- 
fies the  multiplication  and  insemination  of  truth  from  good ;  "to 
bring  them  back  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  to  gather  them 
out  of  Assyria,"  signifies  (as  above)  to  withdraw  them  from  the 
falsifying  of  truth  that  they  are  in  by  their  reasonings  from  know- 
ledges {scientifica) ;  "  to  lead  them  to  the  land  of  Gilead  and  to  Leb- 
anon," signifies  to  the  good  of  the  church,  which  is  the  good  of 


6o4  APOCALYPSE   EXPLAINED. 

charity,  and  to  the  good  and  truth  of  faith;  the  former  is  "the 
land  of  Gilead,"  and  the  latter  "Lebanon." 

[c]  [18.]  From  this  it  can  be  seen  what  is  signified  in  the 
spiritual  sense  by  Jehovah's  "  leading  the  people  out  of  Egypt" 
and  "redeeming  them  ;"  as  in  Moses  : 

"I  will  free  you  from  bondage,  and  I  will  redeem  you  with  a  stretched 
out  arm,  and  with  great  judgments"  {Exod.  vi.  6). 

"I  led  you  out  of  Egypt  with  a  stretched-out  arm,  and  I  redeemed  you 
out  of  the  house  of  bondmen  "  {Deut.  vii.  8 ;  ix.  26-29 1  ^'i'*  5  >  ^v» 
15 ;  xxiv.  18); 

"Thou  in  Thy  mercy  hast  led  Thy  people  whom  Thou  hast  redeemed  ; 
Thou  hast  guided  them  in  the  strength  of  Thy  hand  to  the  habita- 
tion of  Thy  holiness"  {Exod.  xv.  13). 

And  in  Micah: 

"  I  made  thee  to  go  up  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  redeemed  thee  out 
of  the  house  of  bondage"  (vi.  4). 

This  means  in  the  sense  of  the  letter  that  they  were  led  by  the 
Divine  power  out  of  Egypt,  where  they  had  been  made  bond- 
men ;  but  in  the  internal  or  spiritual  sense  no  such  thing  is  meant, 
but  it  means  that  those  who  are  of  the  church,  that  is,  those  that 
are  reformed  by  the  Lord  by  means  of  truths  and  a  life  according 
to  them,  are  delivered  and  freed  from  evils  and  falsities  from  evils, 
for  these  are  the  things  that  make  man  a  bondman :  this  is  the 
spiritual  sense  of  these  words,  and  in  this  sense  are  the  angels  when 
man  is  in  the  sense  of  the  letter.  [19.]  Moreover,  by  "  redemp- 
tion "  angels  understand  deliverance  from  evils,  and  liberation  from 
falsities  in  the  following  passages.     In  Moses  : 

"  I  will  put  redemption  between  My  peoole  and  Pharaoh's  people  "  {Exod. 
viii.  23). 

In  David  : 

*'  He  hath  sent  redemption  unto  His  people  ;  He  hath  commanded  His 
covenant  forever;  holy  and  reverend  is  His  name"  {Psalm  cxi.  9). 

In  Matthew: 

"  What  is  a  man  profited  if  he  shall  gain  the  whole  world,  but  shall  cause 
the  loss  of  his  soul?  or  what  price  shall  a  man  give  sufficient  for 
the  redemption  of  his  soul?"  (xvi.  26  ;  Mark  viii.  36,  37  :) 

"  redemption  "  here  meaning  deliverance  from  damnation. 

[/•]  [20.]  From  this  it  can  be  seen  what  the  Lord's  redeeming 
mankind  signifies,  namely,  that  He  delivered  and  freed  them  from 
hell  and  from  the  evils  and  falsities  that  continually  rise  up  there- 
from and  bring  man  into  condemnation,  and  that  He  continually 
delivers  them  and  frees  them.  This  deliverance  and  liberation 
was  effected  by  His  subjugating  the  hells ;  and  the  continual  de- 
liverance and   liberation  by  His  glorifying  His  Human,  that  is. 


CHAP,   v.,   VEKSI-:    9.  — N.   328[/].  605 

making  it  Divine,  for  thereby  He  keeps  the  hells  continually  sub- 
jugated ;  this,  therefore,  is  what  is  signified  by  His  redeeming  man, 
and  by  His  being  called  in  the  Word  "  Redeemer  ;"  as  in  the  fol- 
lowing passages.     In  Isaiah  : 

"Fear  not,  Thou  worm  of  Jacob,  and  ye  mortals  of  Israel;  I  am  He 
that  helpeth  thee,  and  thy  Redeemer,  the  Holy  One  of  Israel"  (xli. 
14). 

In  the  same, 

"Thus  said  Jehovah,  the  Redeemer  of  Israel,  His  Holy  One,. . .  .because 
of  Jehovah  who  is  faithful,  the  Holy  One  of  Israel,  who  hath  chosen 
thee  "  (xlix.  7). 

In  the  same, 

"  Our  Redeemer  is  Jehovah  of  Hosts,  His  name  the  Holy  One  of  Israel" 
(xlvii.  4). 

In  the  same, 

"Thus  said  Jehovah  your  Redeemer,  the  Holy  One  of  Israel"  (xliii.  14), 

In  the  same, 

"  That  all  flesh  may  know  that  I  Jehovah  am  thy  Saviour  and  thy  Re- 
deemer, the  Mighty  One  of  Jacob  "  (xlix.  26). 

In  the  same, 

"  That  thou  mayest  know  that  I  Jehovah  am  thy  Saviour  and  thy  Re- 
deemer, the  Mighty  One  of  Jacob"  (Ix.  16). 

By  "  Holy  One  of  Israel,"  and  "  Mighty  One  of  Jacob,"  who  is 
here  called  "  Redeemer,"  is  meant  the  Lord  in  respe6l  to  the  Di- 
vine Human,  and  by  "Jehovah  "  is  meant  His  very  Divine.  The 
Lord  in  respefl  to  His  Divine  Human  is  called  "  the  Holy  One  of 
Israel,"  and  "the  Mighty  One  of  Jacob,"  and  "Strong  One  of 
Jacob,"  because  "Israel"  and  "Jacob"  signify  the  church,  thus 
those  who  are  regenerated  and  reformed,  that  is,  redeemed  by 
the  Lord,  for  these  alone  are  of  the  church,  that  is,  constitute  the 
church  of  the  Lord.  [21.]  That  the  Lord's  Divine  Human  is 
what  is  called  "the  Holy  One"  is  evident  in  Liike : 

The  angel  said  unto  Mary,  "The  Holy  Spirit  shall  come  upon  thee,  and 
the  power  of  the  Most  High  shall  overshadow  thee  ;  therefore  the 
Holy  One  born  of  thee  shall  be  called  the  Son  of  God  "  (i.  35). 

And  that  the  Lord  in  respe6l  to  the  Divine  Human  is  "  the  Mighty 
One  of  Jacob,"  and  "Strong  One  of  Jacob,"  in  the  same, 

The  angel  said  unto  Mary,  "  Behold,  thou  shall  conceive  in  the  womb, 

and  bring  forth  a  son He  shall  be  great and  He  shall 

reign  over  the  house  of  Jacob  for  ever,  and  of  His  kingdom  there 
shall  be  no  end"  (i.  30-33). 

*'The  house  of  Jacob"  evidently  means  the  Lord's  church,  not 


6o6  APOCALYPSE    KXPLAINKI). 

the  Jewisli  nation.  [22.]  Because  the  Lord's  Human  was  equally 
Divine  with  His  Divine  Itself  that  took  on  the  Human,  Jehovah 
is  called  "the  Redeemer"  in  the  following  passages.     In  Isaiah : 

"Thus  said  Jehovah  thy  Redeemer,  the  Holy  One  of  Israel,  I  am  Jeho- 
vah thy  (3od  "  (xlviii.  17). 

In  the  same, 

"Jehovah  of  hosts  is  His  name;  and  thy  Redeemer,  the  Holy  One  ol 
Israel ;  the  God  of  the  whole  earth  shall  He  be  called"  (liv.  5). 

In  David  : 

"  O  Jehovah,  my  Rock  and  my  Redeemer"  {Psalm  xix.  14). 

In  ye  re  mi  ah  : 

"Their  Redeemer  is  strong;  Jehovah  of  Hosts  is  His  name"  (1.  34). 

In  Isaiah: 

"Thou,  O  Jehovah,  art  our  Father,  our  Redeemer:  from  everlasting  is 
Thy  name"  (Ixiii.  16). 

From  this  it  can  now  be  seen  how  this  saying  of  the  Lord  is  to  be 
understood, 

The  Son  of  man  came  "to  give  His  life  a  redemption  for  many"  {Matt. 
XX.  28  ;  Mark  x.  45) ; 

namely,  that  they  might  be  deli\'ered  and  freed  from  hell ;  for  the 
passion  of  the  cross  was  the  last  combat  and  complete  vi6lory  by 
which  He  subjugated  the  hells,  and  by  which  He  glorified  His 

Human  (see  Dodrim  of  the  A'ew  Jerusalem,  n.  293-297,  300-306). 

329[#i].  Since  it  is  said,  "Thou  didst  redeem  us  to  God  in 
Thy  blood,"  and  since  this  is  understood  within  the  church  en- 
tirely according  to  the  sense  of  the  letter,  and  not  according  to 
any  spiritual  sense,  I  will  also  show  that  "blood"  does  not  mean 
blood,  that  is,  the  Lord's  suffering  on  the  cross,  but  Divine  truth 
going  forth  from  the  Lord,  and  reception  of  it  by  man  ;  thus  that 
"Thou  didst  redeem  us  in  Thy  blood"  means  that  He  has  deliv- 
ered and  freed  from  hell  those  who  acknowledge  Him,  and  receive 
Divine  truth  from  Him  (as  was  said  above,  n.  328).  In  illustra- 
tion of  this  I  will  cite  the  following.  Because  all  things  that  were 
commanded  in  the  Israelitish  church  were  representative  of  things 
celestial  and  spiritual,  and  not  the  least  thing  was  commanded  that 
was  not,  it  was  commanded,  when  the  paschal  supper  was  first  in- 
stituted. 

That  "  they  shall  take  of  the  blood,  and  put  it  on  the  two  side-posts  and 
on  the  lintel  upon  the  houses  wherein  they  shall  eat  (the  paschal 
lamb) ;.  . .  .and  the  blood  shall  be  for  you  for  a  token  upon  the 


CHAP,   v.,   VERSE   9. — N.  329[a].  607 

houses  where  ye  are  ;  and  when  I  see  the  blood  I  will  pass  over 
you,  nor  shall  there  be  a  plague  upon  you  from  the  destroyer  when 
I  shall  smite  the  land  of  Egypt."  And  further :  "  Ye  shall  take  a 
bunch  of  hyssop,  and  dip  it  in  the  blood  that  is  in  the  basin,  and 
shall  touch  the  lintel  and  the  two  sideposts  with  the  blood  that  is 
in  the  basin  ;  and  none  of  you  shall  go  out  of  the  door  of  his  house 
until  the  morning.  And  Jehovah  will  pass  through  to  smite  the 
Egyptian  ;  and  when  He  shall  see  the  blood  upon  the  lintel  and 
upon  the  two  sideposts,  Jehovah  will  pass  over  the  door,  and  will 
not  suffer  the  smiter  to  come  into  your  houses  to  smite  you" 
{Exod.  xii.  7,  13,  22,  23). 

He  who  does  not  know  that  there  is  a  spiritual  sense  in  the  Word 
believes  that  "blood"  here  signifies  the  Lord's  blood  upon  the 
cross ;  but  this  is  not  at  all  the  meaning  in  heaven ;  to  the  angels 
there  the  paschal  supper  here  described  has  the  same  meaning  as 
the  holy  supper  instituted  by  the  Lord,  in  which,  in  place  of  the 
paschal  lamb,  there  are  the  bread  and  the  wine ;  and  the  Lord 
then  taught  that  the  bread  was  His  flesh  and  the  wine  was  His 
blood ;  and  every  one  knows,  or  may  know,  that  bread  and  wine 
are  what  nourish  the  body,  bread  as  food  and  wine  as  drink, 
and  that  in  the  Word,  which  in  its  bosom  is  spiritual,  these  things 
also  must  be  spiritually  understood,  "bread"  standing  for  all  spir- 
itual food,  and  "wine"  for  all  spiritual  drink.  [2.]  Spiritual  food 
is  all  the  good  that  is  communicated  and  given  to  man  by  the 
Lord,  and  spiritual  drink  is  all  the  ti"uth  that  is  communicated  and 
given  to  man  by  the  Lord.  These  two,  namely,  good  and  truth, 
or  love  and  faith,  make  a  man  spiritual ;  it  is  said,  or  love  and  faith, 
because  all  good  is  of  love,  and  all  truth  is  of  faith.  From  this  it 
can  be  seen  that  "bread"  means  the  Divine  good  of  the  Lord's 
Divine  love,  and  in  reference  to  man,  this  good  received  by  him  ; 
also  that  "  wine  "  means  the  Divine  truth  that  goes  forth  from  the 
Divine  good  of  the  Lord's  Divine  love,  and  in  reference  to  man, 
this  truth  received  by  him.  Since  the  Lord  says  that  His  flesh  is 
bread,  and  His  blood  is  wine,  it  can  be  seen  that  "  the  Lord's  flesh" 
means  the  Divine  good  of  His  Divine  love,  and  "to  eat"  it  means 
to  receive  it,  and  make  it  one's  own,  and  thus  be  conjoined  to 
the  Lord  ;  and  that  "the  Lord's  blood"  means  the  Divine  truth 
that  goes  forth  from  the  Divine  good  of  His  Divine  love,  and  that 
"drinking"  it  means  to  receive  that  truth  and  make  it  one's  own, 
and  thus  be  conjoined  to  the  Lord.  [3.]  Again,  spiritual  nourish- 
ment is  from  the  good  and  truth  that  go  forth  from  the  Lord,  as 
all  nourishment  of  the  body  is  from  food  and  drink ;  their  corre- 
spondence is  from  this,  which  is  such   that  where  anything  of 


6o8  APOCAI.YPSE    EXPLAINED. 

food,  or  that  ser\es  for  food,  is  mentioned  in  the  Wora,  good 
is  meant,  and  where  anything  of  drink,  or  that  serves  for  drink, 
is  mentioned,  truth  is  meant.  From  this  it  can  be  seen  that  the 
"blood"  from  the  Paschal  lamb,  which  the  sons  of  Israel  were 
commanded  to  put  upon  the  two  sideposts  and  upon  the  lintel  of 
their  houses,  means  Divine  truth  going  forth  from  the  Lord ; 
this,  when  received  in  faith  and  life,  prote6ls  man  from  the  evils 
that  rise  up  out  of  hell ;  for  in  His  Divine  truth  the  Lord  is  with 
man,  for  this  is  the  Lord's  own  with  man,  in  facl,  it  is  Him- 
self with  man.  Who  that  thinks  from  sound  reason  cannot  see 
that  the  Lord  is  with  a  man  not  in  His  blood,  but  in  His  Divine, 
which  is  the  good  of  love  and  the  good  of  faith  received  by  the  man. 

(But  what  each  particular  here  signifies,  namely,  "  the  two  sideposts  "  and  "  the  lin- 
tel," "the  destroyer"  and  "  smiter,"  and  "  Egypt,"  and  many  other  things  in  this 
cha()ter,  can  be  seen  in  the  Arcana  Caelestia,  where  they  are  explained.) 

[ft.]  [4.]  From  what  has  now  been  said,  without  further  ex- 
planation, the  significance  of  the  Lord's  words  when  He  instituted 
the  Holy  Supper  is  evident : 

"As  they  were  eating,  Jesus  took  bread,  and  blessed,  brake,  and  gave  to 
the  disciples,  and  said,  Take,  eat ;  this  is  My  body.  And  He  took 
the  cup,  and  having  given  thanks,  He  gave  to  them,  saying.  Drink 
of  it,  all  of  you  ;  for  this  is  My  blood  of  the  new  covenant,  which  is 

poured  out  for  many I  say  unto  you  that  I  will  not  drink 

henceforth  of  this  produdl  of  the  vine  until  that  day  when  I  shall 
drink  it  with  you  [new]  in  the  kingdom  of"  God  (JMatt.  xxvi. 
26-29  i  Mark  xiv.  22-25  !  Luke  xxii.  15-20). 

As  "wine"  means  Divine  truth  nourishing  spiritual  life,  the  Lord 
says  to  them,  "  I  say  unto  you  that  I  will  not  drink  henceforth  of 
this  produft  of  the  vine  until  that  day  when  I  shall  drink  it  with 
you  new  in  the  kingdom  of  God,"  which  shows  clearly  that  some- 
thing spiritual  is  meant,  for  He  says  that  "  He  is  to  drink  with 
them,"  and  "in  the  kingdom  of  God,"  that  is,  in  heaven,  and  also 
that  "He  is  to  eat"  with  them  of  the  Paschal  lamb  there  (^Luke 
xxii.  16).  [5.]  What  has  now  been  said  makes  clear  what  is  sig- 
nified by  these  words  of  the  Lord : 

"  The  bread  that  I  will  give  is  My  flesh Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto 

you.  Except  ye  eat  the  flesh  of  the  Son  of  man.  and  drink  His 
blood,  ye  have  not  life  in  you.  He  that  eateth  My  flesh  and  drink- 
eth  My  blood  hath  eternal  life  ;  and  I  will  raise  him  up  at  the  last 
day.  For  My  flesh  is  truly  food,  and  My  blood  is  truly  drink.  He 
that  eateth  my  flesh  and  drinketh  My  blood  abideth  in  Me,  and  I 

in  him This  is  the  bread  that  cometh  down  out  of  heaven  " 

{John  vi.  51-58). 

That  the  Lord's  "flesh"  is  Divine  good,  and  His  "blood"  Divine 


CHAP,   v.,   VERSE  9. — N.   329[^].  609 

truth,  both  of  them  iixmi  Him,  can  be  seen  from  this,  that  these 
are  what  nourish  the  soul;  it  is  therefore  said,  "My  flesh  is 
truly  food,  and  My  blood  is  truly  drink."  And  as  a  man  is  con- 
joined to  the  Lord  by  Divine  good  and  truth,  it  is  further  said, 
"  He  that  eateth  My  flesh  and  drinketh  My  blood  shall  have  eter- 
nal life,  and  he  abideth  in  Me  and  I  in  him."  The  Lord  spoke  in 
this  way,  saying  His  "flesh"  and  His  "blood,"  and  not  His  Di- 
vine good  and  His  Divine  truth,  in  order  that  the  sense  of  the  let- 
ter of  the  Word  might  be  made  up  of  such  things  as  correspond 
to  things  spiritual,  in  which  angels  are ;  thus  and  in  no  other 
way  could  there  be,  by  means  of  the  Word,  a  conjundlion  of  the 

men  of  the  church  with  angels  (see  T/ie  Doarine  of  the  Ne%v  yeriisalem, 
n.  252,  258-262;  and  Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  303-310).       [6.]    Since    "  blood  " 

signifles  Divine  truth  going  forth  from  the  Lord,  and  conjunc- 
tion with  the  Lord  is  efFedled  by  man's  reception  of  it,  blood  is 
called  "the  blood  of  the  covenant,"  for  "covenant"  signifies  con- 
jundlion.  Blood  is  called  "the  blood  of  the  covenant"  by  the 
Lord  when  He  instituted  the  Holy  Supper;  for  He  said, 

"  Drink  of  it,  all  of  you ;   for  this  is  My  blood  of  the  new  covenant  (or 
testament)"  (Matt.  xxvi.  27,  28  ;  Mark  xiv.  24;  Luke  xxii.  20). 

It  is  called  "the  blood  of  the  covenant"  in  the  following  passage 
in  Moses : 

"  Moses  came  "  from  Mount  Sinai,  "  and  told  the  people  all  the  words  of 

Jehovah,  and  all  the  judgments And  Moses  wrote  al)   the 

words  of  Jehovah,  and  rose  up  early  in  the  morning,  and  builded 

an  altar  under  the  mount And  he  sent  young  men  of  the 

sons  of  Israel,  and  they  offered  burnt  offerings,  and  sacrificed  bul- 
locks as  peace  offerings  unto  Jehovah.  And  Moses  took  half  of 
the  blood  and  put  it  in  basins  ;  and  half  of  the  blood  he  sprinkled 
on  the  altar.  And  he  took  the  book  of  the  covenant,  and  read  in 
the  ears  of  the  people  ;  and  they  said,  All  things  that  Jehovah  hath 
spoken  will  we  do  and  hear.  And  he  took  the  blood  and  sprinkled 
it  on   the  people,  and  said,  Behold  the  blood  of  the  covenant  that 

Jehovah  hath  concluded  with  you  upon  all  these  words And 

they  saw  the  God  of  Israel,  and  under  His  feet  as  it  were  a  work 
of  sapphire  stone,  and  as  the  substance  of  heaven  for  purity" 
{Exod.  xxiv.  3-10). 

That  "blood"  here  signifies  Divine  truth  going  forth  from  the 
Lord  and  received  by  man,  and  conjun<5lion  therefrom,  is  evident, 
for  half  of  it  was  sprinkled  on  the  altar  and  half  on  the  people ; 
for  the  "altar"  signified  all  worship  that  is  from  good  of  love,  and 
the  "people"  those  who  offer  worship  and  receive  good  of  love 
by  means  of  truths  ;  for  all  reception  of  Divine  good  is  effe6led  by 
truths  made  truths  of  life,  and  consequent  conjun6i:ion  is  by  means 


6lO  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

of  the  good  in  such  truths.  That  there  is  conjundlion  by  means  of 
the  good  in  such  truths,  that  is,  by  means  of  truths  made  trutlis  of 
life,  and  that "  blood  "  was  a  representative  thereof,  is  very  clear  from 
these  words  ;  for  this  was  done  when  Moses  descended  from  Mount 
Sinai,  from  which  the  law  was  promulgated,  and  also  the  statutes 
and  judgments  that  were  to  be  observed  ;  and  it  is  said  that  "  Mo- 
ses wrote  all  these  words  of  Jehovah,  and  read  them  in  the  ears 
of  the  people,"  who  said,  "All  things  that  Jehovah  hath  spoken 
will  we  do  and  hear,"  which  they  said  twice  (see  verses  3  and  7). 
[7.]  Words  or  truths  become  truths  of  life  by  doing;  and  as 
Moses  wrote  these  words,  he  called  them  "  The  Book  of  the  Cov- 
enant," which  signifies  that  there  is  conjundlion  by  means  of  them. 
The  law  promulgated  by  Jehovah  from  Mount  Sinai,  and  the  stat- 
utes and  judgments  that  were  also  commanded  at  that  time,  sig- 
nify all  Divine  truth,  or  Divine  truth  in  its  whole  complex.  This  is 
why  they  are  called  "The  Book  of  the  Covenant,"  and  why  the  ark 
in  which  that  book  was  kept  is  called  "  The  Ark  of  the  Covenant," 
"  covenant "  signifying  conjunftion.  Because  Divine  truth,  by  which 
there  is  conjunction,  goes  forth  from  the  Lord,  the  Lord  appeared 
to  the  people  "  under  the  feet  as  it  were  a  work  of  sapphire  stone ;" 
that  He  so  appeared  "under  the  feet"  signifying  that  Divine  truth 
is  such  in  outmosts.  Divine  truth  in  outmosts  is  Divine  truth  in  the 
sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word  ;  "work  of  sapphire  stone"  signi- 
fies the  translucence  of  this  sense  from  Divine  truth  in  the  internal 
or  spiritual  sense;  "the  God  of  Israel"  is  the  Lord.  (That  "sap- 
phire stone  "  signifies  translucence  from  internal  truths,  see  A.C.,  n.  9407  ;  and  that 
"the  God  of  Israel"  is  the  Lord  in  respecft  to  the  Divine  Human,  see  above,  n. 

328[/],)  From  this  it  is  now  clear  that  "covenant  "  or  conjunction 
is  efifeCted  by  means  of  Divine  truth,  and  that  the  blood  sprinkled 
on  the  altar  and  half  of  it  on  the  people  was  a  representative  of 
it,  since  "blood"  signifies  Divine  truth  going  forth  from  the  Lord 
and  received  by  man,  as  was  said  above.    (That  "  covenant "  signifies  con- 

jundtion,  see  A.C.,  n.  665,  666,  1023,  1038,  1864,  1996,  2003,  2021,  6804,  8767,  8778, 
9396, 10632.  That  the  law  in  a  stridt  sense  means  the  ten  precepts  of  the  decalogue, 
and  in  a  broad  sense,  the  whole  Word,  thus  all  Divine  truth,  n.  2606,  3382,  6752, 7463, 
94T7.  That  from  this  "  Mount  Sinai  "  signifies  heaven  where  the  Lord  is,  from  whom 
is  Divine  truth,  or  from  whom  is  the  law,  both  in  the  strict  and  broad  sense,  n.  8399, 
8753,  8793,  8805,  9420;  and  that  the  altar  was  the  principal  representative  of  the 
Lord,  and  of  worship  of  Him  from  good  of  love,  n.  921,  2777,  2811,  4489,  4541,  8935, 
8940,  9388,  9389,  9714,  9963,  9964,  10123,  10151,  10242,  1024S,  10642.) 

[f .]  [8.]  Since  "  blood"  signifies  Divine  truth  going  forth  from 
the  Lord  and  received  by  man,  from  which  is  conjunction,  all 
things  that  were  representative  of  things  Divine  going  forth  from 
the  Lord  which  are  called  celestial  and  s]iiritual  were  consecrated 


CHAP,  v.,  VERSE   9.— N.   32g[cl'\.  6II 

by  oil  and  by  blood,  and  were  then  called  holy.  They  were  conse- 
crated by  oil  and  blood  that  they  might  be  representative,  because 
"oil"  signified  the  Divine  good  of  the  Divine  love,  and  "blood" 
the  Divine  truth  going  forth  therefrom,  for  truth  goes  forth  from 
good.  That  consecrations  and  san<5lifications  were  made  by  means 
of  oil  will  be  seen  in  what  follows,  where  they  are  treated  of; 
here  let  some  things  in  which  blood  was  used  be  mentioned,  as 

When  Aaron  and  his  sons  were  to  be  sandlified,  blood  was  sprinkled 
upon  the  horns  of  the  altar,  and  round  about  the  altar,  and  upon 
Aaron  and  his  sons,  and  upon  their  garments  {Exod.  xxix.  12,  16, 
20,  21  ;  Lev.  viii.  24). 

Blood  was  sprinkled  seven  times  before  the  veil  that  was  over  the  ark, 
and  upon  the  horns  of  the  altar  of  incense  {Lev.  iv.  6,  7,  17,  18). 

Before  Aaron  entered  within  the  veil  to  the  mercy-seat,  he  should  sac- 
rifice and  burn  incense,  and  should  sprinkle  the  blood  with  the 
finger  seven  times  upon  the  mercy-seat  eastward  (Z^z/.  xvi.  12-15). 

The  blood  of  the  burnt  offering  and  of  the  sacrifice  should  be  sprinkled 
upon  the  altar,  around  the  altar,  and  at  the  base  of  the  altar 
{Lev.  i.  5,  II,  15  ;  iii.  2,  8,  13  ;  iv.  25,  30,  34  ;  v.  9  ;  viii.  15,  24  ;  xvii. 
6  ;  Num.  xviii.  17  ;  Deut.  xii.  27). 

The  blood  should  be  sprinkled  upon  the  horns  of  the  altar,  and  thus 
atonement  should  be  made  for  the  altar  {Exod.  xxx.  10 ;  Lev.  xvi. 
18,  19). 

Blood  from  the  burnt-offerings  and  sacrifices  was  sprinkled  and 
poured  out  upon  the  altar,  around  the  altar,  or  at  its  base,  because 
the  altar  with  the  burnt-offerings  and  sacrifices  upon  it  represented 
and  thus  signified  all  worship  from  good  of  love  and  truths  there- 
from ;  and  as  truths  go  forth  from  good,  the  blood  was  sprinkled 
on  and  poured  out  around  the  altar,  for  "  around  "  signifies  going 
forth.  [9.]  (But  these  things  can  be  better  seen  from  what  has  been  shown 
respecfling  burnt  offerings  and  sacrifices  in  the  Arcana  Caelestia,  as  follows : 
"  Burnt  offerings  "  and  "  sacrifices  "  signified  all  things  of  worship  from  good  of  love, 
and  truths  therefrom,  n.  923,  6905,  8680,  8936,  10042.  Therefore  burnt  offerings  and 
sacrifices  were  called  bread,  n.  2165,  because  "  bread  "  signifies  everythmg  that  nour- 
ishes spiritual  life,  n.  2165,  3478,  4976,  5147,  5915,  6118,  8410,8418,  9323,  10686. 
Burnt  offerings  and  sacrifices  signified  celestial  Divine  and  spiritual  Divine  things, 
which  are  the  internals  of  the  church,  from  which  are  all  things  of  worship,  n.  2180, 
2805,  2807,  2830,  3519  ;  with  a  difference  according  to  differences  of  worship,  n.  2805, 
6905,  8936.  Therefore  there  were  many  kinds  of  burnt  offerings  and  sacrifices,  em- 
ploying various  methods,  and  consisting  of  various  animals,  n.  2830,  9391,  9990.  The 
various  things  they  each  signified  can  be  known  from  the  particulars  of  the  method 
unfolded  by  the  internal  sense,  n.  10042.  The  rituals  and  methods  of  the  sacrifices 
contain  arcana  of  heaven,  n.  10057.  In  general  they  contain  the  arcana  of  the 
glorification  of  the  Lord's  Human,  and,  in  a  relative  sense,  the  arcana  of  man's  re- 
generation and  his  purification  from  evils  and  falsities,  n.  9990,  10022,  10042,  iooi;3, 
10057.  What  was  signified  by  the  "  meal  offerings,"  which  were  bread  and  cakes, 
which  were  also  offered  in  sacrifice,  n.  10079 ;  what  by  the  "  drink  offering,"  which 
was  wine,  n,  4581,  10137.) 

[<f.]    [10.]  When  these  things  are  understood  it  can  be  know  n 


6l2  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

that  "the  blood  of  the  sacrifice  "  in  other  places  also  in  the  Word 
signifies  Divine  truth  ;  as  in  Ezekiel: 

"Say  to  the  bird  of  every  wing  and  to  every  beast  of  the  field,  Assemble 
yourselves,  and  come  ;  gather  yourselves  from  every  side  to  My 
sacrifice  that  I  do  sacrifice  for  you,  a  great  sacrifice  upon  the  mounts 
ains  of  Israel,  that  ye  may  eat  flesh  and  drink  blood.  Ye  shall 
eat  the  flesh  of  the  mighty,  and  drink  the  blood  of  the  princes  of 

the  earth And  ye  shall  eat  fat  to  satiety,  and   drink  blood 

even  to  drunkenness,  of  My  sacrifice  which  I  sacrifice  for  you.  And 
ye  shall  be  satiated  at  My  table  with  horse,  with  chariot,.  . .  .with 
every  man  of  war : . . . .  So  will  I  give  My  glory  among  the  nations  " 
(xxxix.  17-21). 

This  treats  of  the  restoration  of  the  church ;  and  "  Israel "  and 
"Jacob"  mean  all  who  are  of  the  church,  respe6ling  whom  these 
things  therefore  are  said  ;  "a  great  sacrifice  upon  the  mountains 
of  Israel"  signifies  all  things  of  their  worship;  "flesh"  and  "fat" 
signify  the  good  of  love,  and  "blood"  truth  from  that  good ;  wor- 
ship is  from  these ;  an  abundance  of  both  is  described  by  their 
"eating  flesh  and  fat  to  satiety,"  and  "drinking  blood  even  to 
drunkenness,"  and  this  "  of  the  sacrifice  ;"  it  is  therefore  further  said, 
"Ye  shall  be  satiated  at  My  table  with  horse,  chariot,  and  every 
man  of  war,"  for  "horse"  signifies  understanding  of  truth,  "char- 
iot" dodtrine,  and  "man  of  war"  truth  fighting  against  falsity 
and  destroying  it.  Who  cannot  see  that  "blood"  here  does  not 
mean  blood,  as  that  they  "  should  drink  the  blood  of  the  princes 
of  the  earth,"  and  "  drink  blood  even  to  drunkenness,  of  the  sac- 
rifice?" "  Princes  of  the  earth"  signify  the  principal  truths  of  the 
church;  therefore  their  "blood"  signifies  spiritual  nourishment 
from  those  truths.  Because  such  things  are  signified,  it  is  also 
said,  at  the  end  of  this  chapter,  respedling  Israel,  by  whom  the 
church  is  signified, 

"  Then  will  I  not  hide  My  faces  any  longer  from  them  ;  for  I  will  pour 

out  My  spirit  upon  Israel  "  (verse  29). 

It  is  said,  "  Say  to  the  bird  of  every  wing  and  to  every  beast  of  the 
field,"  because  "bird  of  every  wing"  signifies  spiritual  truth  in  the 
whole  complex,  and  "  beast  of  the  field  "  afledion  for  good.     (That 

"  birds"  in  the  Word  signify  things  spiritual,  n.  745,  776,  866,  988,  991,  3219,  5149, 
7441;  likewise  "wings,"  n.  8764,  9514;  that  "beasts"  signify  aifedlions,  and 
"beasts  of  the  field"  affedtions  for  good,  n.  2180,  321B,  3519,  5198,  9090,  9280, 
10609;   and  that  both  birds  and  beasts  were  for  tliis  reason  used  in  sacrifices,  n. 

1823,  3519,7523,9280.)  [II.]  In  proof  that  "beast  of  the  field"  and 
"bird"  signify  such  things,  I  will  quote  here  one  passage  only 
from  the  Word  : 


CHAP,  v.,  \i:kse  9. — N.  329[flf].  613 

"  In  that  day  will  I  make  a  covenant  for  them  with  the  beast  of  the  field, 
and  with  the  bird  of  the  heavens,  and  with  the  creeping  thing  of  the 
earth  ;    and  I  will  break   the  bow  and   the  sword  and   war  from 

the  earth And  1  will  betroth  thee  unto  Ivie  for  ever  ;  and  I 

will  betroth  ihee  unto  Me  in  righteousness  and  in  judgment,  and 
in  mercy  and  in  compassions,  and  I  will  betroth  thee  unto  Me  in 
truth"  (//osi-ii  ii.  18-20). 

"To  make  a  covenant  willi  tlie  beast  of  the  field  and  with  the  Ijird 
of  the  liea\ens"  signifies  vvitli  afi'ettions  for  good  and  with  sj)iritiial 
truths,  for  w  ith  these  the  Lord  is  conjoined  to  man,  since  the  Lord 
is  in  these  with  man  ;  therefore  it  is  called  "a  covenant  with  them," 
"covenant"  meaning-  conjunction.  That  "beasts"  signify  afifec- 
tions  for  good,  and  "birds"  things  spiritual,  will  be  lull\-  shown  in 
what  follows,  where  they  are  treated  of  [12.]  Becau.-e  "fat"  in 
sacrifices  signified  Divine  good,  and  "blood"  Divine  truth,  both 
from  the  Lord,  and  because  by  both  when  received  by  man  con- 
jimclion  was  effe(5fed,  the  posterity  of  Jacob,  that  is,  the  Jews 
and  Lsraelites,  were  forbidden  to  eat  any  tat  or  any  blood 

(see  Lev.  ill.  17  ;  vii.  23-27  ;  xvii.  11-14  ;  Deut.  xii.  17,  23-25  ;  xv.  23). 

This  was  because  that  nation  was  not  in  any  good  of  lo\e  nor  in 
any  truth  of  good,  but  in  falsities  of  evil  ;  and  "  to  eat  flit  and 
blood"  signified  with  them  the  mingling  of  truth  from  good  with 
falsity  from  evil,  which  is  profanation  ;  from  which  also  it  can  be  seen 

that  "blood"  signifies  Divine  truth.  t That  "fat"  or  "fatness"  in  the 
Word  signifies  the  good  of  love,  see  A.C,,  n.  353,  5943,  6409,  10033  \  find  that  the  Jews 
and  Israelites  were  solely  in  things  external  and  not  in  things  internal,  and  conse- 
quently not  in.  spiritual  truths  and  goods,  but  in  falsities  of  evil  ;  and  that  all  things 
of  their  worship  were  external  separated  from  what  is  internal,  and  that  still  by  things 
external  they  could  represent  the  internal  things  of  worship,  see  Dodrine  of  the  New 

Jerusalem,  n.2A,z.)  [13.]  Again,  because  "blood"  in  the  sacrifices 
signified  Divine  truth, 

They  were  forbidden  to  sacrifice  the  blood  of  the  sacrifice  upon  what 
was  leavened  {Exod.  xxiii.  18  ;  xxxiv.  25); 

for  "leaven"  signifies  falsity,  and  "what  was  leavened"  truth  falsi- 
fied (see  A.c.  n.  2342,7906,  8051,  9992).  [I4.]  The  Lord's  "flesh"  sig- 
nifies the  Divine  good  of  the  Divine  love,  and  His  "  blood  "  signi- 
fies the  Divine  truth  going  forth  from  that  good,  because  there  are 
two  things  that  go  forth  from  the  Lord's  Divine  Human,  namely, 
Divine  good  and  Divine  truth,  the  latter  is  His  blood,  and  the 
former  His  flesh.  That  which  goes  forth  is  the  celestial  Divine 
and  the  spiritual  Divine  ;  and  these  constitute  the  heavens  in  gen- 
eral and  in  particular.  (But  this  can  be  seen  better  from  what  has  been 
shown  in  Heaven  and  Hell,  under  the  following  heads.  The  Divine  of  the  Lord 


6l4  APOCALYPSL"    EXPLAINED. 

makes  Heaven,  n.  7-12;  The  Divine  of  the  Lord  in  Heaven  is  Love  to  Him  imd 
Charity  towards  tlie  Neighbor,  n.  13-19;  The  Whole  Heaven,  therefore,  as  a 
Whole  and  in  its  Parts,  answers  to  one  Man,  n.  59-77;  This  is  from  the  Lord's 
Divine  Human,  n.  78-87  ;  and  further  from  what  is  said  of  The  Sun  in  Heaven,  and 
Light  and  Heat  therefrom,  and  that  Heat  is  the  Divine  Good,  and  Light  Divine  Truth, 

both  going  forth  from  the  Lord,  n.  1 16-140.)  FroHi  all  this  it  Can  in  some 
measure  be  comprehended  why  the  Divine  proceeding  is  meant  by 
"flesh  and  blood,"  that  is,  the  Divine  good  by  "flesh,"  and  the 
Divine  truth  by  "blood."  [15.]  With  man  also  there  are  two 
things  that  constitute  his  spiritual  life,  namely,  good  of  love  and 
truth  of  faith.  With  him  the  will  is  the  receptacle  of  the  good  of 
love,  and  the  understanding  is  the  receptacle  of  the  truth  of  faith. 
All  things  belonging  to  the  mind,  that  is,  belonging  to  the  will 
and  understanding,  have  a  correspondence  with  all  things  belong- 
ing to  the  body,  consequently  the  latter  are  moved  at  the  com- 
mand of  the  former.  In  general,  the  correspondence  of  the  will 
is  with  the  flesh,  and  the  correspondence  of  the  understanding  with 
the  blood ;  consequentiy  the  voluntary  that  is  man's  own  {propHum 
voluntarium)  is  meant  in  the  Word  by  "flesh,"  and  the  intellectual 
that  is  his  own  {^proprium  inteiuauale)  by  "blood ;"  as  in  Matthew  : 

Jesus  said  to  Simon,  "  Blessed  art  thou,  for  flesh  and  blood  hath  not  re- 
vealed it  unto  thee"  (xvi.  17). 

These  things  are  mentioned  that  it  may  be  known  that  in  the 
Word  things  voluntary  and  intelledlual,  that  is,  spiritual  things, 
are  meant  by  "flesh  and  blood"  when  man  is  referred  to,  and 
things  Divine  when  the  Lord  is  referred  to.  But  these  things  are 
for  those  whose  minds  can  be  elevated  above  natural  ideas  and  can 
perceive  causes. 

[€•]  [16.]  This  also  is  what  is  signified  by  the  "blood  and 
water"  that  issued  out  of  the  Lord's  breast;  which  is  described  as 
follows  in  yohn  : 

"One  of  the  soldiers. ..  .pierced  His  side,  and  straightway  there  came 
out  blood  and  water.  And  he  that  saw  beareth  witness,  and  his 
witness  is  true  ;  he  knoweth  that  he  saith  true  things,  that  ye  also 
may  believe  "  (xix.  34,  35). 

These  things  were  done  to  signify  the  Lord's  conjimdlion  with  the 
human  race  through  Divine  truth  going  forth  from  the  Divine 
good  of  His  love;  "breast"  signifies  Divine  love;  "blood  and 
water"  signify  Divine  truth  going  forth,  "blood"  the  Divine  truth 
that  is  for  the  spiritual  man,  and  "water"  the  Divine  truth  that  is 
for  the  natural  man ;  for  all  things  that  are  related  in  the  Word 
respecting  the  Lord's  passion  are  significative  (see  above,  n.  83, 
i95[<:]  at  end).     And  because  these  things  signify  His  love,  and 


CHAP,   v.,   VERSE    9. — N.   329[<?].  615 

man's  salvation  by  means  of  Divine  truth  going  forth  from  Him, 
the  evangelist  adds,  "  He  that  saw  beareth  witness,  and  his  wit- 
ness is  true ;  he  knoweth  that  he  saith  true  things,  that  ye  also 
may  believe."  [17.]  To  what  has  already  been  mentioned  I  will 
add  the  following  from  the  Word.     In  Zechariah : 

"  Rejoice  greatly,  O  daughter  of  Zion  ;  shout,  O  daughter  of  Jerusalem  ; 

behold,  thy  king  cometh And  He  shall  speak  peace  unto  the 

nations  ;  and  His  dominion  shall  be  from  sea  even  to  sea,  and  from 
the  river  even  to  the  ends  of  the  earth.  As  for  thee  also,  by  the 
blood  of  thy  covenant  I  will  send  forth  thy  bound  ones  out  of  the 
pit  wherein  is  no  water"  (ix.  9-1 1). 

This  is  said  of  the  Lord,  and  of  the  establishment  of  the  church 
by  Him  among  the  nations;  "the  blood  of  the  covenant"  here 
meaning  Divine  truth,  by  means  of  which  there  is  conjundlion  of 
the  Lord  with  those  who  are  to  be  of  His  church  (as  above)  : 
it  is  therefore  further  said,  "  I  will  send  forth  thy  bound  ones  out 
of  the  pit  wherein  is  no  water."  for  by  these  the  nations  that  are 
in  falsities  from  ignorance  are  signified,  "the  pit  wherein  is  no 
water"  signifying  where  there  is  no  truth,  and  "sending  them 
forth"  signifying  to  free  them  from  falsities.  That  "water"  signi- 
fies the  truth  of  the  church,  see  above  (n.  71)  ;  and  that  "the 
bound  in  the  pit"  signifies  those  who  are  in  falsities  from  ignor- 
ance, and  yet  in  a  desire  to  know  truths,  see  Arcana  Caelsstia  (n. 
4728,4744.  5038,  6854, 7950).     [18.]    In  David  : 

"  God  shall  preserve  the  souls  of  the  needy  ;  He  shall  redeem  their  soul 
from  deceit  and  violence  ;  and  precious  shall  their  blood  be  in  His 
eyes.  And  he  shall  live,  and  to  him  shall  He  give  of  the  gold  of 
Sheba,  and  shall  pray  for  him  continually ;  all  the  day  shall  He 

bless  him Upon  the  top  of  the  mountains  his  fruit  shall  be 

shaken  "  (Psalm  Ixxii.  13-16) ; 

this  treats  of  the  "  needy,"  by  whom  those  who  desire  truths  from 
spiritual  affedlion  are  signified ;  of  these  it  is  said,  that  "  He  shall 
redeem  their  soul  from  deceit  and  violence,"  which  signifies  their 
liberation  from  evils  and  falsities,  which  destroy  goods  of  love  and 
truths  of  faith.  Reception  of  Divine  truth  by  them  as  being  ac- 
ceptable and  grateful,  is  signified  by  "  precious  shall  their  blood 
be  in  His  eyes,"  "blood"  here  meaning  Divine  truth  received. 
Their  reformation  is  described  by  "he  shall  live,  and  to  him  shall 
He  give  of  the  gold  of  Sheba,  and  shall  pray  for  him  continually ; 
all  the  day  shall  He  bless  him,"  the  "gold  of  Sheba"  meaning 
good  of  charity,  "  to  pray  for  him  continually  "  signifying  that  they 
shall  be  continually  withheld  from  falsities,  and  kept  in  truths,  and 
"he  shall  bless  him"  signifying  that  they  shall  be  continually  in 
the  good  of  charity  and  faith  ;  it  is  therefore  said  further,  "  Upon 


6l6  .  APOCALYPSK    i:XPI.AINKD. 

thr  top  of  tin-  mount. lins  his  fruit  shall  be  shaken,"  "top  of  the 
inouiitains"  si^nityini;  hca\'en,  from  which  they  have  good  of  love 
from  the  Lord,  which  is  "fruit."     [19.]    In  Moses: 

"The  sceptre  shall  not  depart  from  Judah,  nor  a  lawgiver  from  between 

his  feet,  until  Shiloh  come  ;.  . .  .who  shall  bind  to  the  vine  his  ass's 
foal,  and  to  the  noble  vine  the  son  of  his  she-ass,  whilst  he  shall 
wash  his  garments  in  wine,  and  his  covering  in  the  blood  of  grapes  " 
(Ciii.  xlix.  ID,  ii). 

This  prophecy  treats  of  the  Lord,  of  whom  it  is  said,  "He  shall 
l.ind  to  the  vine  his  ass's  foal,  and  to  the  noble  vine  the  son  of  his 
shc-ass,"  and  "he  shall  wash  his  garments  in  wine,  and  his  cover- 
ing in  the  blood  of  grapes,"  "vine"  signifying  the  church,  and 
"  wine  "  and  "  blood  of  grapes  "  Divine  truth.      (What  the  other  things 

signify  see  the  explanation  of  these  words  in  the  Arcana  Caelestia.)     The  Same 

is  meant  by  "  blood  of  grapes  "  in  Detderonomy  (xxxii.  14)  ;  where 
the  Ancient  Church  reformed  by  Divine  truth  is  treated  of. 

[/•]  [20.]  From  what  has  been  shown  in  this  and  the  preced- 
ing article  it  can  be  seen  by  those  who  acknowledge  the  spiritual 
sense  of  the  Word  that  "Thou  didst  redeem  us  to  God  in  Thy 
b'ood  "  means  conjun6lion  with  the  Divine  by  acknowledgment 
of  the  Lord,  and  by  reception  of  Divine  truth  from  Him  ;  also 
that  the  same  is  meant  by  "blood"  in  the  twelfth  chapter  of  this 
prophetic  book,  where  it  is  said. 

That  Michael  and  his  angels  overcame  the  dragon  "by  the  blood  of  the 
Lamb,  and  by  the  word  of  their  testimony"  (verse  11). 

It  is  said,  "blood  of  the  Lamb  "  and  "word  of  testimony,"  because 
"blood of  the  Lamb"  signifies  reception  of  Divine  truth  from  the 
Lord,  and  "word  of  testimony"  acknowledgment  of  His  Divine 
Human.  [21.]  That  "blood"  signifies  Divine  truth  is  still  fur- 
ther evident  from  its  contrary  sense,  in  which  "blood"  signifies 
\iolence  offered  to  Divine  truth  by  the  falsities  of  evil,  and  its  de- 
struction by  these ;  and  as  what  is  signified  in  the  genuine  sense 
is  illustrated  by  these  contrary  meanings,  I  will  cite  some  passages 
in  which  "blood"  and  "bloods"  have  that  significance.  It  is  to 
be  noted  that  most  things  in  the  Word  have  also  a  contrary  sense, 
and  that  from  that  sense  it  can  be  known  what  is  signified  in  the 
genuine  sense.  The  following  will  serve  for  illustration.  In  the 
Apocalypse : 

"The  second  angel  poured  out  his  bowl  into  the  sea,  and  it  became  as 
the  blood  of  one  dead,  and  every  living  animal  in  the  sea  died. 
And  the  third  angel  poured  out  his  bowl  into  the  rivers  and  into 
the  fountains  of  the  waters,  and  they  became  blood  "  (xvi.  3,  4). 


CHAP,   v.,  VERSE    3. — N.   329L/].  617 

And  elsewhere, 

The  two  witnesses  "have  power  over  the  waters  to  turn  them  into 
blood  "  (Afoc.  xi.  6). 

In  Isaiah  : 

"  The  waters  of  Nimrim  shall  be  desolations ;  . . . .  and  the  waters  of 

Dimon  are  full  of  blood"  (xv.  6,  9). 

In  David  : 

"He  sent  darkness  and  made  it  dark He  turned  their  waters  into 

blood,  and  slew  their  fish"  (Psalm  cv.  28,  29). 

It  is  clear  from  these  passages  what  "blood"  signifies  in  the  con- 
trary sense  ;  for  "  blood  "  in  the  genuine  sense  signifies  Divine  truth, 
and  with  those  who  receive  it  truth  from  good  ;  so  in  the  contrary 
sense  it  signifies  violence  offered  to  Divine  truth,  and  with  those 
who  do  that,  it  signifies  falsity  from  evil.  This  contrary  meaning  is 
clear  from  its  being  said  that  the  "waters  "  of  the  sea,  of  rivers, 
and  of  fountains,  "were  turned  into  blood;"  for  "waters  "  signify 
truths,  therefore  "  blood  "  here  signifies  falsities  that  destroy  truths. 
The  "  living  animal "  in  the  sea,  and  the  "  fish,"  signify  truths  known 
{vera  scientifica) ;  SO  their  "dying"  and  "  being  slain  "  by  blood  sig- 
nify such  truths  also  destroyed.  (That  "  waters  "  signify  truths,  see  above, 
n.  71 ;   and  that  "fish"  signify  truths  Icnown  {vera  scientifica')  of  the  natural  man, 

see  A.C.,  n.  40,  991.)     [22.]    Again  in  the  Apocalypse : 

"  I  beheld  when  He  had  opened  the  sixth  seal,  and  behold,  there  was  a 
great  earthquake ;  and  the  sun  became  black  as  sackcloth,  and  the 
whole  moon  became  blood"  (vi.  12). 

In  Joel: 

"I  will  show  wonders  in  the  heavens  and  in  the  earth  ;  blood,  and  fire, 
and  pillars  of  smoke.  The  sun  shall  be  turned  into  darkness,  and 
the  moon  into  blood,  before  the  great ....  day  of  Jehovah  come  " 
("•  30,  31)- 

Here  also  one  may  know  from  the  contrary  meaning  that  "  blood  " 
signifies  violence  offered  to  the  Divine  truth;  for  "sun"  in  the 
Word  signifies  the  celestial  Divine,  which  is  Divine  good,  and 
"  moon "  signifies  the  spiritual  Divine,  which  is  Divine  truth  :  it 
is  therefore  said  that  "the  moon  shall  be  turned  into  blood."   (Th.ot 

this  is  the  signification  of  "  moon  "  see  Heaveit  ami  Hell,  n.  118, 119.)      [23.]     In 

Isaiah  : 

"He  that  walketh  in  righteousness,  and  speaketh  uprightness, ....  that 
stoppeth  his  ear  lest  he  hear  bloods,  and  shutteth  his  eyes  lest  he 
see  evil  "  (xxxiii.  15) ; 

"to  Stop  the  ear  lest  he  hear  bloods"  meaning  evidently  not  to 


6l8  APOCALYPSE   EXPLAINED. 

hear  falsities  from  evil.     In  David : 

"Thou  wilt  destroy  those  that  speak  a  He  ;  the  man  of  bloods  and  de- 
ceit Jehovah  abhorreth  "  {Psalm  v.  6)  ; 

"the  man  of  bloods  and  deceit"  meaning  those  who  are  in  falsi- 
ties from  evil ;  it  is  therefore  said,  "Thou  wilt  destroy  those  that 
speak  lies,"  "lies"  in  the  Word  signifying  falsities.     In  Isaiah  : 

"And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  he  that  is  left  in  Zion  and  he  that  re- 
maineth  in  Jerusalem  shall  be  called  holy  to  Him,  every  one  that 
is  written  unto  life  in  Jerusalem.  When  the  Lord  shall  have 
washed  away  the  filth  of  the  daughters  of  Zion,  and  shall  have 
washed  away  the  bloods  of  Jerusalem  out  of  the  midst  thereof  by 
the  spirit  of  judgment  and  by  the  spirit  of  cleansing  "  (iv.  3,  4). 

Because  "Jerusalem  "  signifies  the  church  in  respedl  to  do6lrine 
it  is  said,  "  When  He  shall  have  washed  away  its  bloods  out  of  the 
midst  thereof,"  "bloods"  signifying  falsities  of  evil.  The  "spirit 
of  judgment"  signifies  Divine  truth,  and  because  this  purifies  it  is 
said,  "  by  the  spirit  of  cleansing."     [24.]    In  Ezekiel: 

"  In  the  day  wherein  thou  wast  born  I  passed  by  beside  thee,  and  I  saw 
thee  trampled  in  thy  bloods,  and  I  said  unto  thee.  In  thy  bloods, 

live  ;  yea,  I  said  unto  thee.  In  thy  bloods,  live I  washed  thee, 

. . .  .and  I  washed  away  thy  bloods  from  upon  thee,  and  I  anointed 
thee  with  oil"  (xvi.  5,  6,  9,  22,  36,  38). 

This  treats  of  Jerusalem,  which  signifies  the  church  in  respe6l  to 
the  doctrine  of  truth,  here  first  of  the  falsities  of  evil  in  which  it 
was  before  it  was  reformed,  and  afterwards  of  its  reformation  ;  fals- 
ities of  evil  are  signified  by  its  being  seen  "trampled  in  bloods  ;" 
and  its  reformation  by  "He  washed,"  and  "washed  away  the 
bloods,"  and  "anointed  with  oil,"  "to  wash"  signifying  to  purify 
by  truths ;  "to  wash  away  bloods"  signifying  to  remove  falsities 
of  evil;  and  "to  anoint  with  oil"  signifying  to  endow  with  the 
good  of  love.     [25.]    In  Lamentations : 

"  For  the  sins  of  the  prophets  "  of  Jerusalem,  "and  the  iniquities  of  her 
priests,  that  have  shed  the  blood  of  the  just  in  the  midst  of  her. 
They  have  wandered  blind  in  the  streets,  they  have  been  polluted 
with  blood,  what  they  cannot  pollute  they  touch  with  their  gar- 
ments "  (iv.  13,  14). 

"  Prophets  of  Jerusalem  "  signify  those  who  are  to  teach  truths  of 
do6lrine,  and  "priests"  those  who  are  to  lead  by  truths  to  good ; 
here  mentioned  in  a  contrary  sense,  since  it  is  said,  "  for  their  sins." 
"  To  shed  the  blood  of  the  just "  signifies  to  falsify  truths  and  adul- 
terate goods ;  it  is  therefore  said,  "  they  have  wandered  blind  in 
the  streets,  they  have  been  polluted  with  blood,  w^hat  they  cannot 
pollute  they  touch  with  their  garments."     "To  wander  blind  in 


CHAP,  v.,   VERSE  9. — N.  32y[yj.  619 

the  Streets"  signifies  not  to  see  truths  at  all,  "streets"  meaning 
truths  ;  "  polluted  with  bloods"  signifies  to  be  wholly  in  falsities ; 
"what  they  cannot  pollute  they  touch  with  their  garments"  sig- 
nifies that  what  they  cannot  pervert  they  falsify,"  garments  "  mean- 
ing the  truths  that  invest  interior  things,  which  truths  are  the 
truths  of  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word.     In  Isaiah  : 

"Every  mob  shall  be  dismayed  by  the  earthquake,  and  the  garment  is 
polluted  with  bloods"  (ix.  5); 

"earthquake"  signifying  the  perversion  of  the  church  by  falsifica- 
tion of  truth,  and  "  garment  polluted  with  bloods  "  falsification  of 
the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word.     [26.]    In  Jereniiah  : 

"  Thou  hast  taught  wickednesses  thy  ways ;  also  in  thy  skirts  is  found 
the  blood  of  the  souls  of  the  innocents  ;  I  found  them  not  in  dig- 
ging through,  but  upon  all  these  "  (ii.  33,  34). 

Here  "blood  found  in  the  skirts"  signifies  the  same  as  above  by 
"what  they  cannot  pollute  they  touch  with  their  garments," 
"skirts"  meaning  the  same  as  "garments."  "I  found  them  not 
in  digging  through,  but  upon  all  of  these,"  signifies  that  they 
dared  not  destroy  truths  themselves,  but  that  they  falsified  the 
truths  of  the  sense  of  the  letter,  "skirts"  signifying  those  truths. 
[27.]    In  Isaiah: 

"Your  hands  are  full  of  bloods"  (i.  15). 

In  the  same, 

"Your  hands  are  defiled  with  blood,  and  your  fingers  with  iniquity ;  your 
lips  have  spoken  lies,  and  your  tongue  hath  meditated  perverseness. 
. . .  .Their  feet  run  to  evil,  and  they  make  haste  to  shed  innocent 
blood  ;  their  thoughts  are  thoughts  of  iniquity  "  (lix.  3,  7). 

"Hands  defiled  with  blood,  and  fingers  with  iniquity,"  signifies 
that  in  all  things  belonging  to  them  there  is  falsity  and  evil  of 
falsity  ;  "  hands"  and  "fingers "signify  power,  thus  all  things  with 
them  that  have  power.  Because  this  is  the  meaning  it  is  also  said, 
"  your  lips  have  spoken  lies,  and  your  tongue  hath  meditated  per- 
verseness, "lies"  meaning  falsities,  and  "perverseness"  the  evil 
of  falsity.  "Their  feet  make  haste  to  shed  innocent  blood"  sig- 
nifies their  hastening  to  destroy  the  good  of  love  and  charity;  this 
is  signified  by  "shedding  innocent  blood.'  *  The  good  of  inno- 
cence is  that  from  which  is  every  good  and  truth  of  heaven  and 

the    church    (see  Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  276-283).       From    thlS    it    Can    be 

seen  what  is  signified  in  a  general  sense  by  "bloods,"  in  the 
plural,  namely,  violence  offered  both  to  the  truths  and  the  goods 
of  the  Word  and  of  the  church. 


620  Ai'ocAi.N  I'si--.  i:.\ri,AiM:i). 

[.ij'.]  As  "shccUliiig  innocciu  Mood  "  signifies  to  destroy  tlie 
good  of  love  and  charity,  every  kind  of  precaution  was  taken 
that  innocent  blood  should  not  be  shed  ;  and  if  it  were  shed, 

That  expiation  shall   be  made   for  the   land   {Dent.  xix.   lo,  13 ;    xxi. 

1-9); 

for  the  "land"  signifies  the  church.     [28.]    In  Isaiah  : 

"Jehovah  goeth  forth  out  of  His  place  to  visit  the  iniquity. ..  .of  the 
earth  ;  then  shall  the  earth  disclose  her  bloods,  and  shall  no  more 
cover  her  slain  "  (xxvi.  21). 

The  "bloods"  that  the  earth  shall  disclose  signify  all  falsities 
and  evils  that  have  destroyed  the  truths  and  goods  of  the  church, 
the  "earth"  meaning  the  church  where  these  are;  the  "slain" 
signify  those  that  have  perished  by  them.     (That  the  "slain"  signify 

those  that  have  perished  by  falsities  and  evils,  see  above,  n.  3 1 5-)    ^^  the  ApOC- 

alypse  : 

In  Babylon  "  vpas  found  the  blood  of  prophets  and  of  saints,  and  of  all  that 
have  been  slain  upon  the  earth  "  (xviii.  24) ; 

"the  blood  of  prophets  and  of  saints"  meaning  truths  and 
goods  extinguished;  and  the  "slain"  those  who  ha\'e  perished 
by  falsities  and  evils  (as  just  above).  [29.]  The  same  is  meant 
by 

The  blood  of  the  prophets  "  which  was  shed  upon  the  earth,  from  the 
blood  of  Abel  the  righteous  even  to  the  blood  of  Zachariah,  son  of 
Barachiah,  whom  they  slew  between  the  temple  and  the  altar" 
{Matt,  xxiii.  30,  34,  35  ;  Luke  xi.  50,  51). 

In  the  spiritual  sense,  by  "Abel"  those  who  are  in  the  good  of 
■charity  are  meant,  and,  abstra6lly  from  person,  that  good  itself; 
and  by  "Cain"  those  who  make  faith  alone  the  sole  means  of 
salvation,  and  the  good  of  charity  of  no  account,  thus  rejecting 
and  slaying  it ;  and  by  "Zachariah"  those  who  are  in  truths  of 
do6lrine  are  meant,  and  abstra6lly  from  person  the  truth  itself  of 
<io6lrine ;  therefore  the  "  blood  "  of  these  two  signifies  the  ex- 
tin6tion  of  all  good  and  truth;  "whom  they  slew  between  the 
temple  and  the  altar"  signifies  in  the  spiritual  sense  every  kind 
of  rejedlion  of  the  Lord  ;  tor  "temple"  signifies  the  Lord  in  re- 
spect to  Divine  truth,  and  "altar"  the  Lord  in  respe6l  to  Divine 
good,  and  "between  them  "  signifies  both  together.    (That  "Abe!" 

in  a  representative  sense  is  the  good  of  charity,  see  A.C.,  n.  342,  354,  1179,  3325; 
and  that  "  Cain  "  is  faith  alone,  separated  from  charity,  n.  340,  347,  1179,  3325.  That 
"  prophet  "  signifies  dodtrine  of  truth,  n.  2534,  7269.  That  "  temple  "  signifies  the 
Lord  in  respec5l  to  Divme  truth,  and  "  altar  "  the  Lord  in  respedl  to  Divine  good, 
and  in  a  relative  sense  the  Lord's  kingdom  and  church  in  respeefl  to  truth  nrd  g<iod. 


CHAP,    v.,    VERSE    9. — N.  33O.  62I 

n.  2777,  3720,  9714,  10642.  That  "  between  "  the  two  signifies  wliere  there  is  a 
marriage  of  Divine  good  and   Divine  truth,  n.  loooi,  10025.)        [30.]     In    the 

Word  it  is  often  said  of  those  condemned  to  death,  that  "  their 
bloods  should  be  upon  them,"  which  means,  in  the  spiritual  sense, 
that  damnation  should  be  upon  them  because  of  the  falsities  and 
evils  by  which  they  had  destroyed  the  truths  and  goods  of  the 
church  ;  for  in  general  "bloods"  signify  all  falsities  of  doctrine, 
of  life,  and  of  worship,  by  means  of  which  are  the  evils  that  de- 
stroy the  church.  These  evils  are  in  part  enumerated  in  Eze- 
kiel  (xviii.  10-13);  these  are  also  signified  by  "bloods"  in 
yohn : 

"  As  many  as  received  Him,  to  them  gave  He  power  to  become  sons 
of  God,  to  them  that  believe  on  His  name ;  who  were  born,  not  of 
bloods  nor  of  the  will  of  the  fiesh  nor  of  the  will  of  man,  but  of 
God"  (i.  12,  13). 

"The  Lord's  name"  means  all  truths  and  goods  by  which  He 
is  to  be  worshipped  ;  "bloods"  mean  all  falsities  and  evils  that 
destroy;  "the  will  of  the  flesh"  and  "the  will  of  man  "  signify 
all  evils  of  love  and  falsities  of  faith,  for  "flesh"  signifies  the 
voluntary  that  is  man's  own  {proprium  voiuntarium)  from  which  is 
every  evil,  and  "man  (z-Zr)"  signifies  the  intellectual  that  is  man's 
own  {propriiun  inteiieduaie),{xon\  wliich  is  every  falsity,  "will"  mean- 
ing where  these  things  are ;  "  to  be  born  of  God"  is  to  be  regen- 
erated by  means  of  the  truths  of  faith,  and  by  means  of  a  life 
according  to  them. 

330.  "Out  of  every  tribe  and  tongue"  signifies  dy  all  who 
are  in  truths  in  respe5l  to  doctrine  and  in  respe5l  to  life. — This 
is  evident  from  the  signification  of  "  tribe,"  as  meaning  all  truths 
and  goods  in  the  complex  (of  which  see  above,  n.  39) ;  for  these 
are  meant  by  the  twelve  tribes,  and  therefore  each  tribe  signifies 
something  of  truth  and  good,  therefore  "out  of  every  tribe"  sig- 
nifies out  of  all  who  are  in  any  kind  of  truth  and  good.  It  is 
evident  also  from  the  signification  of  "tongue,"  as  meaning  the 
dodrine  of  life  and  faith.  That  "tribes"  signify  all  truths  and 
goods  in  the  complex  will  be  shown  more  fully  below,  where  they 
are  treated  of;   likewise  that  "  tongue  "  signifies  the  do6lrine  of 

life  and  faith,  thus  religion.  (Here  will  be  presented  only  what  is  shown  in 
A.C.  respedling  the  signification  of  "  tribes,"  namely,  that  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel 
represented  and  thus  signified  all  truths  and  goods  in  the  complex,  n.  3858,  3926, 
4060,  6335 ;  that  the  twelve  apostles  of  the  Lord  have  a  like  signification,  n.  2129, 
3354.  3488,  6397  ;  that  there  were  twelve  because  "twelve"  signifies  all,  n.  577,  2089, 
2129,  2130,  3272,  3858,  3913.  Because  the  twelve  tribes  represented  and  thus  signi- 
fied all  truths  and  goods  in  the  complex  they  therefore  represented  heaven  and  the 
church,  n.  6337,  6637,  7836,  7891.  7996.  That  the  twelve  tribes  signify  various  things 
according  to  the  order  in  which  they  are  named,  thus  in  different  ways  all  things  of 


622  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

heaven  and  the  cliurch,  n.  3862,  3926,3939,  4603  seq.,  6337,  6640,  10335;  therefore 
responses  could  be  given  and  were  given  by  the  Urim  and  Thummim,  where  the  names 
of  tlie  twelve  tribes  of  Israel  were  engraven  on  precious  stones,  n.  3858,  6335,' 6640, 
9863,  9865,  9873.  9874.  9905-) 

33l[#»].  "And  people  and  nation"  signifies  who  ay-e  of  the 
Lord's  spiritual  church,  ayid  of  His  celestial  church. — This  is 
evident  from  the  signification  of  "people"  and  "nation"  in  the 
Word,  "  people "  signifying  those  who  are  in  spiritual  good, 
thus  those  who  are  of  the  Lord's  spiritual  church,  and  "na- 
tion "  those  who  are  in  celestial  good,  thus  those  who  are  of 
the  Lord's  celestial  church.  That  there  are  two  kingdoms  into 
which  the  heavens  are  divided,  namely,  the  celestial  kingdom 
and  the  spiritual  kingdom,  and  that  those  who  are  in  the  good 
of  love  to  the  Lord  are  in  the  celestial  kingdom,  and  those 
who  are  in  the  good  of  charity  towards  the  neighbor  are  in  the 
spiritual  kingdom,  see  Heaven  and  Hell  (n.  20-28).  These  two 
kingdoms  are  not  only  in  the  heavens  but  also  on  the  earth,  and 
on  the  earth  they  are  called  the  celestial  church  and  the  spirit- 
ual church.  Few  know  what  is  signified  in  the  Word  in  a  par- 
ticular sense  by  a  "people"  or  "peoples,"  and  what  by  a  "na- 
tion" or  "nations."  I  will  therefore  present  from  the  Word 
some  passages  where  the  two  are  named  together,  from  which 
it  will  .be  clear  that  "people  "and  "nations"  have  distindl  sig- 
nifications, for  unless  they  had  distinct  significations  they  would 
not  be  named  together,  as  in  the  following  passages.  [2.]  In 
Isaiah : 

"  The  strong  people  shall  honor  Thee,  the  city  of  the  formidable  nations 
shall  fear  Thee.  . . .  Jehovah  . . .  will  swallow  up  in  this  mountain 
the  faces  of  the  covering,  the  covering  upon  all  peoples,  and  the 
veil  that  is  spread  over  all  nations  "  (xxv.  3,  7). 

Here  a  distinction  is  made  between  "peoples"  and  "nations," 
because  "peoples"  signify  those  who  are  of  the  Lord's  spiritual 
kingdom,  thus  those  who  are  in  spiritual  good,  and  "nations" 
those  who  are  of  His  celestial  kingdom,  thus  those  who  are  in 
celestial  good.  Spiritual  good  is  the  good  of  charity  towards 
the  neighbor,  thus  the  good  of  faith,  and  celestial  good  is  the 
good  of  love  to  the  Lord,  thus  the  good  of  mutual  love.  The 
truth  of  this  good  is  what  is  meant  by  "the  city  of  formidable 
nations,"  for  "city"  signifies  the  do6lrine  of  truth,  that  is,  truths 
of  do6trine.  "To  swallow  up  the  covering  upon  all  peoples, 
and  the  veil  spread  over  all  nations,"  signifies  to  dispel  the  shade 
that  has  so  covered  the  understanding  that  the  truths  are  not 
seen  or  the  goods  perceived  that  pertain  to  heaven  and  the 
church.     [3.]    In  the  same, 


CHAP,   v.,   VERSE   9. — N.   33l[«].  623 

"  Come  near,  ye  nations,  to  hear  ;  and  hearken,  ye  peoples  :  let  the  earth 
hear,  and  the  fulness  thereof"  (xxxiv.  i). 

Because  "nations"  signify  those  who  arc  in  the  good  of  love, 
and  "  peoples"  those  who  are  in  the  good  of  charity  and  in  the 
truths  of  faith  therefrom,  it  is  said  of  the  nations  that  they  should 
"come  near,"  and  of  the  peoples  that  they  should  "hearken." 
To  "come  near"  signifies  to  be  conjoined  by  love,  and  to 
"hearken"  signifies  to  obey  and  to  be  instrudled  ;  it  is  therefore 
said,  "let  the  earth  hear,  and  the  fulness  thereof,"  "earth"  sig- 
nifying the  church  in  respe<5l  to  good,  and  "the  fulness  thereof" 
truths.     [4.]    In  the  same, 

"  I  Jehovah  have  called  thee  in  righteousness,  and  I  will  hold  thine  hand, 
....  and  I  will  give  thee  for  a  covenant  to  the  people,  for  a  light  of 
the  nations  "  (xlii.  6). 

In  the  same, 

"Bring  forth  the  blind  people  that  have  eyes,  and  the  deaf  that  have 
ears.  Let  all  the  nations  be  gathered  together,  and  let  the  peoples 
assemble  "  (xliii.  8,  9). 

In  the  same, 

"  I  have  given  him  for  a  witness  to  the  peoples,  a  prince  and  lawgiver 
to  the  nations  "  (Iv.  4). 

In  the  same, 

"Thus  said  the  Lord  Jehovih,  Behold,  I  will  lift  up  Mine  hand  towards 
the  nations,  and  lift  up  My  standard  towards  the  peoples"  (xlix.  22). 

In  the  same, 

"The  peoples  that  walk  in  darkness  have  seen  a  great  light Thou 

hast  multiplied  the  nation,  thou  hast  restored  to  it  great  ioy"  (ix. 
2,3)- 

And  in  the  same, 

"  It  shall  be  in  that  day  that  a  root  of  Jesse,  which  standeth  for  an  en- 
sign of  the  peoples,  the  nations  shall  seek And  He  shall  lift 

up  an  ensign  for  tlje  nations,  and  shall  gather  together  the  outcasts 
of  Israel"  (xi.  10,  12). 

All  these  things  are  said  of  the  Lord;  and  "peoples"  and  "na- 
tions" mean  all  who  are  of  His  church  ;  for  all  who  are  of  the 
Lord's  church  are  either  of  His  celestial  kingdom  or  of  His 
spiritual  kingdom  ;  not  any  except  those  who  are  in  these  two 
kingdoms  can  possibly  be  of  the  church.  Moreover,  there  are 
two  things  that  constitute  the  church,  good  and  truth,  both 
from  the  Lord;  "nations"  mean  those  who  are  in  good,  and 
"  peoples  "  those  who  are  in  truth  ;  and,  abstra<5tly  from  persons, 
"  nations  "  signify  the  goods  of  the  church,  and  "  peoples "  its 
truths.    "  Peoples  "  signify  the  goods  of  the  church  because  spir-. 


624  AI'OCAIA'PSE    EXPLAINED. 

itual  good,  or  the  good  of  charity  towards  the  neighbor,  in  which 
those  are  who  are  meant  by  "peoples,"  in  its  essence  is  truth. 

(See  A.C.,  n.  8042,  10296 ;  why  it  is  so,  n.  863,  875,  895,  927,  1023,  1043,  1044,  1555, 
2256,  4328,  4493,  51 13.  9596  ;  thus  what  the  distin(5lion  is  between  those  who  are  of 
the  celestial  kingdom  and   those  who  are  of  the  spiritual  kingdom,  n.  2088,  2669, 

3708,  2715,  323s,  3240,  4788,  7068,  8521,  9277,  10295.)     [5.]   In  the  same, 

"  In  that  time  a  present  unto  Jehovah  of  Hosts  shall  be  brought ;  a  peo- 
ple distra(fled  and  plundered  ; . . . .  and  a  nation  meted  out  and  trod- 
den down,  whose  land  the  rivers  have  spoiled,  to  the  place  of  the 
name  of  Jehovah  of  Hosts,  to  Mount  Zion  "  (xviii.  2,  7). 

This  treats  of  the  invitation  of  all  to  the  church  ;  therefore  "  peo- 
ple" and  "nation"  are  both  mentioned.  "Mount  Zion"  signi- 
fies the  church,  to  which  they  are  invited  ;  "a  people  distradted 
and  plundered"  signifies  those  with  whom  truths  have  been 
taken  away  and  changed  or  perverted  by  those  who  are  in  falsi- 
ties of  dodlrine ;  "a  nation  meted  out  and  trodden  down,  whose 
land  the  rivers  have  spoiled,"  signifies  those  with  whom  goods 
have  been  treated  in  like  manner,  "rivers"  meaning  falsities  and 
reasonings  therefrom.    [6.]    In  Zechariah  : 

"Yet  there  shall  come  peoples,  and  the  inhabitants  of  great  cities, .... 
to  intreat  the  faces  of  Jehovah  ; . . .  .  and  thus  many  peoples  and 
populous  nations  shall  come  to  seek  Jehovah  of  Hosts  in  Jerusa- 
lem "  (viii.  20-22). 

Here,' too,  "peoples"  and  "nations"  signify  all  who  are  of  the 
Lord's  church  ;  "  peoples  "  those  who  are  of  His  spiritual  church, 
and  "nations"  those  who  are  of  His  celestial  church.  "Jerusa- 
lem," to  which  they  shall  come,  is  the  church.     [7.]    In  David  : 

"  Thou  wilt  set  me  for  the  head  of  the  nations  ;  a  people  I  have  not  known 
shall  serve  me  "  {Psalm  xviii.  43). 

In  the  same, 

Jehovah  "will  subdue  the  peoples  under  us,  and  the  nations  under  our 

feet God  reigneth  over  the  nations The  willing  ones  of 

the  peoples  are  gathered  together"  {Psalm  xlvii.  3,  8,  9). 

In  the  same, 

"  That  [Thy  way]  may  be  known  on  the  earth,  Thy  salvation  among  all 

nations.     The  peoples  shall  confess  Thee,  O  God  : the  nations 

shall  be  glad  and  shout  for  joy ;  for  Thou  shalt  judge  the  peoples 
in  uprightness,  and  shalt  lead  the  nations  upon  earth"  {Psalm 
Ixvii.  2-4). 

In  the  same, 

"Remember  me,  O  Jehovah,  in  good  pleasure  towards  Thy  people  ;. . . . 
that  I  may  be  glad  in  the  joy  of  Thy  nations  "  {Psalm  cvi.  4,  5). 

In  the  same, 

"  I  will  confess  Thee,  O  Lord,  among  the  nations  ;  I  will  sing  praises 
unto  Thee  among  the  peoples  "  {Psalm  Ivii.  9 ;  cviii.  3). 


CHAP,  v.,  VERSE   9. — N.   331M.  625 

In  these  passages  also  "peoples"  and  "nations"  are  mentioned, 
by  which  are  meant  all  who  are  in  truths  and  goods.  Moreover, 
the  very  words  that  are  applied  to  peoples  are  words  that  are 
predicated  of  truths,  and  those  applied  to  nations  are  those  that 
are  predicated  of  goods.  That  such  only  are  meant  by  "  na- 
tions" is  evident  also  from  the  fad  that  these  things  were  said 
by  David,  who  was  an  enemy  of  the  Canaanitish  nations.  [8.1  In 
Luke  : 

"Mine  eyes  have  seen  Thy  salvation,  which  Thou  hast  prepared  before 
the  face  of  all  peoples  ;  a  light  for  a  revelation  to  the  nations  "  (ii. 
30-32). 

In  Zephaniah : 

"  The  remnant  of  My  people  shall  spoil  them,  and  the  residue  of  My  na- 
tion shall  inherit  them  "  (ii.  9). 

In  Moses : 

When  her  two  sons  were  struggling  in  her  womb,  Rebecca  went  to  in- 
quire of  Jehovah,  "  and  Jehovah  said  unto  her,  Two  nations  are  in 
thy  womb,  and  two  peoples  shall  be  separated  from  thy  bowels  " 
{Gen.  XXV.  22,  23). 

And  in  the  same, 

"Remember  the  days  of  the  age, when  the  Most  High  gave  to  the 

nations  an  inheritance ;  when  He  separated  the  sons  of  man  He 
set  the  bounds  of  the  peoples  according  to  the  number  of  the  sons 
of  Israel"  {Deut.  xxxii.  7,  8). 

"The  sons  of  man"  have  the  same  signification  as  "peoples," 
namely,  those  who  are  in  spiritual  truths  and  goods  ;  therefore 
it  is  said  of  them,  "  when  He  separated  the  sons  of  man  He  set 
the  bounds  of  the  peoples  according  to  the  number  of  the  sons 
of  Israel,"  "  the  sons  of  Israel "  signifying  the  spiritual  church, 
and  the  "number"  of  them,  that  is,  of  the  twelve  tribes  named 
from  them,  signifying  all  the  truths  and  goods  therein  (see  just 
above,  n.  330)  ;  such  therefore  are  called  "peoples  ;"  "to  separ- 
ate" them  and  "to  set  their  bounds"  signifies  to  alienate  from 
falsities  and  to  bestow  truths  ;  and  "  to  give  an  inheritance  to 
the  nations"  signifies  heaven  and  conjunction  with  those  who  are 
in  the  good  of  love.     [9.]    In  Daniel: 

"  All  peoples,  nations,  and  tongues  shall  worship  Him ;  His  dominion 
is  an  everlasting  dominion,  which  shall  not  pass  away,  and  his 
kingdom  that  which  shall  not  perish  "  (vii.  14). 

This  is  said  of  the  Lord;  and  "peoples"  and  "nations"  mean 
all  who  are  in  truths  and  goods  ;  and  "all  tongfues"  mean  all  of 
whatever  do6lrine  or  religion  ;  for  the  Lord's  church  is  universal, 
since  it  exists  with  all  who  are  in  good  of  life,  and  who  from  their 
dodrine  look  to   heaven,  and  thereby  conjoin   themselves  to 


626  APOCALYPSE   EXPLAINED. 

the  Loid  (of  whom  see  Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  318-328).     BecaUSe  "  nations  " 

signify  those  who  are  in  good  of  love,  and  "peoples  "  those  who 
are  in  good  of  charity  and  in  truths  of  faith  therefrom,  it  is  said, 
"His  dominion  is  an  everlasting  dominion,  and  His  kingdom 
shall  not  pass  away,"  "dominion"  in  the  Word  is  predicated  of 
good,  and  "  kingdom  "  of  truth  ;  for  this  reason  the  Lord  is  called 
"Lord"  from  Divine  good,  and  "King"  from  Divine  truth. 

[ft.]  There  are  other  passages  besides  these  that  might  be 
quoted  to  prove  that  "  peoples  "  signify  those  who  are  of  the  spir- 
itual church,  and  "  nations  "  those  who  are  of  the  celestial  church. 
So  far  those  only  have  been  presented  in  which  "peoples"  and 
"  nations  "  are  mentioned  together ;  to  these  some  shall  be  added 
in  which  "nations"  alone  are  mentioned.     [lO.]    In  Isaiah: 

"  Open  the  gates,  that  the  righteous  nation  that  keepeth  faithfulness  may 

enter  in Thou  hast  added  to  the  nation,  O  Jehovah,  Thou 

hast  added  to  the  nation  ;  Thou  hast  been  glorified  :  Thou  hast  re- 
moved all  the  ends  of  the  earth"  (xxvi.  2,  15). 

In  David : 

"  All  the  ends  of  the  earth. . .  .shall  turn  unto  Jehovah  ;  and  all  the  fami- 
lies of  the  nations  shall  worship  before  Thee.  For  the  kingdom  is 
Jehovah's;  and  He  it  is  that  ruleth  among  the  nations"  {Psalm 
xxii.  27,  28). 

In  Isaiah: 

"  The  nations  shall  walk  to  Thy  light,  and  kings  to  the  brightness  of 
Thy  rising Thy  heart  shall  be  enlarged,  because  the  multi- 
tude of  the  sea  shall  turn  unto  Thee,  the  hosts  of  the  nations 
shall  come  unto  Thee  "  (Ix.  3,  5), 

In  the  same, 

"  All  nations  shall  see  Thy  righteousness,  and  all  kings  Thy  glory " 
(Ixii.  2). 

In  these  passages  "nations"  and  "peoples"  are  not  mentioned 
together,  but  still  in  the  last  two  "nations"  and  "kings"  are,  be- 
cause "kings"  signify  the  same  as  "peoples,"  namely,  those  who 
are  in  truths  (see  above,  n.  31)  ;  and  it  is  because  "nations"  sig- 
nify those  who  are  in  good,  and  "kings"  those  who  are  in 
truths,  that  it  is  said  of  nations  that  they  "shall  see  Thy  right- 
eousness, and  of  kings  that  they  shall  "see  Thy  glory,"  "right- 
eousness" in  the  Word  being  predicated  of  good,  and  "glory" 

of  truth.  (That  "  righteousness  "  is  predicated  in  the  Word  of  Divine  good,  see 
A.C.,  n.  2235,  9857 ;  and  "  glory  "  of  Divine  truth,  n.  4809,  5922,  8267,  8427,  9429.) 

[II.]  From  the  contrary  sense  it  can  now  be  seen  that  "  peoples  " 
signify  those  who  are  in  truths,  and  "nations"  those  who  are  in 
good  ;  for  in  that  sense  "peoples  "  signify  those  who  are  in  falsi- 
ties, and  "nations"  those  who  are  in  evils;  as  in  the  following. 
In  Isaiah: 


CHAP,   v.,  VERSE    lO. — N.  333.  627 

"O  Assyrian,  the  rod  of   Mine  anger I  will  send   him  against  a 

hypocritical  nation,  and  against  the  people  of  My  wrath  will  I  give 
him  a  charge  "  (x.  5,  6). 

In  the  same, 

"  The  voice  of  a  multitude  in  the  mountains  [like  as  of  a  great  people]  ; 
a  voice  of  a  tumult  of  the  kingdoms  of  the  nations  gathered  to- 
gether  They  come  from  a  land  of  remoteness,  from  the  utter- 
most part  of  the  heavens,  even  Jehovah  with  the  vessels  of  His 
anger,  to  destroy  the  whole  land  "  (xiii.  4,  5). 

In  the  same, 

"Jehovah  that  smiteth  the  peoples  with  a  plague  not  curable,  that  ruleth 
with  anger  the  nations  "  (xiv.  6). 

In  the  same, 

"  At  the  noise  of  the  tumult  let  the  peoples  wander ;  and  before  Thy 
loftiness  let  the  nations  be  dispersed  "  (xxxiii.  3). 

In  yereniiah: 

"  Behold,  a  people  cometh  from  the  land  of  the  north,  and  a  great  na- 
tion shall  be  stirred  up  from  the  sides  of  the  earth.  They  lay  hold 
on  bow  and  spear  ;  they  are  cruel,  and  have  no  mercy  "  (vi.  22,  23). 

In  Ezekiel: 

"  I  will  cause  thee  not  to  hear  any  more  the  calumny  of  the  nations, 
and  the  reproach  of  the  peoples  thou  shalt  not  bear  any  more" 
(xxxvi.  15), 

In  David : 

"  Thou  makest  us  a  byword  among  the  nations,  a  shaking  of  the  head 
among  the  peoples  "  {Psalm  xliv.  14). 

In  the  same, 

"Jehovah  bringeth  the  counsel  of  the  nations  to  nought ;  He  overthrow- 
eth  the  thoughts  of  the  peoples  "  {Psalm  xxxiii.  10). 

In  these  passages  "peoples"  mean  those  who  are  against  the 
truths  of  the  spiritual  church,  thus  in  falsities;  and  "nations" 
those  who  are  against  the  goods  of  the  celestial  church,  thus  in 
evils.  This  is  also  the  signification  of  the  peoples  and  nations 
that  were  driven  out  of  the  land  of  Canaan.  To  this  let  what 
was  said  above  (n.  175)  be  added. 

332«  [  Verse  lo.]  "And  didst  make  us  unto  our  God  kings  and 
priest's  "  signifies  that  from  the  Lord  these  are  hi  the  truths  and 
goods  of  the  church  and  of  heaven,  as  can  be  seen  from  what  was 
shown  above  (n.  31),  where  there  are  like  words. 

333»  "And  we  shall  reign  upon  the  earth"  signifies  the 
power  that  belongs  to  the  Lo7'd  alone  through  Divine  truth  united 
to  Divine  good,  and  power  and  wisdom  there f-om  that  those  have 
who  are  of  the  Lord' s  spiritual  and  celestial  kingdo7ns. — This 
is  evident  from  the  signification  of  "to  reign,"  as  meaning  to  be  in 


628  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

truths  and  goods,  and  thus  to  be  from  the  Lord  in  the  power  to 
resist  evils  and  falsities  which  are  from  hell ;  and  since  truths  and 
goods  are  from  the  Lord  alone,  and  truths  have  all  power  from 
good,  "to  reign"  signifies  the  power  that  belongs  to  the  Lord 
alone  through  Divine  truth  united  to  Divine  good,  and  the 
power  therefrom  that  those  have  who  are  in  the  Lord's  spiritual 
and  celestial  kingdoms.  He  who  has  no  right  understanding 
of  the  Word  in  the  spiritual  sense  will  suppose  that  such  are  to 
be  like  kings  and  priests,  and  are  to  reign  with  the  Lord  ;  but 
in  the  spiritual  sense  "  kings"  mean  truths,  and  "priests"  goods, 
abstra6lly  from  persons,  that  is,  the  truths  and  goods  that  are  in 
persons  from  the  Lord  ;  from  which  it  follows  that  it  is  truths 
from  good  that  are  to  reign,  thus  the  Lord  alone  from  whom 
these  are.  The  angels,  indeed,  are  in  great  power,  but  not  one 
of  them  from  himself;  in  fact,  if  any  one  in  heaven  believes  that 
he  has  power  from  himself  he  is  instantly  deprived  of  it,  and 
becomes  wholly  powerless.  It  is  said  in  the  sense  of  the  letter 
that  these  are  to  reign,  because  the  sense  of  the  letter  is  per- 
sonal ;  when  therefore  it  is  said  in  that  sense  that  they  are  to 
be  "kings  and  priests,"  it  is  also  said  that  they  are  "to  reign  ;" 
but  in  the  spiritual  sense  everything  of  person  is  put  off,  and 
thus  everything  of  dominion  belonging  to  person,  and  domin- 
ion is  left  to  the  Lord  alone.  [2.]  These  are  like  those  things 
that  the  Lord  said  to  His  disciples, 

That  they  were  to  sit  upon  twelve  thrones,  and  judge  the  twelve  tribes 
of  Israel  {Matt.  xix.  28  ;  Luke  xxii.  30) ; 

also  what  the  Lord  said  to  Peter, 

That  to  him  belonged  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  the  heavens  {Matt. 
xvi.  19) ; 

which  does  not  mean  that  the  disciples  and  Peter  were  to  have 
that  power,  but  the  Lord  alone,  since  in  the  spiritual  sense  the 
"twelve  disciples"  mean  all  the  truths  and  goods  of  the  church, 
which  are  from  the  Lord,  and  "Peter"  means  truth  from  good, 

which  is  from  the  Lord.  (That  "disciples"  mean  all  truths  and  goods 
of  tiie  church,  which  are  from  the  Lord,  see  above,  n.  lOO,  122.  That  "  Peter" 
signifies  truth  from  good,  which  is  from  the  Lord,  see  Last  yitdg-me}tt,n.  57  ;  and 
above,  n.  9,  2o6,  209.  That  all  power  belongs  to  truth  from  good,  which  is 
from  the  Lord,  thus  to  the  Lord  alone,  and  that  angels  have  power  therefrom,  see 

Heaven  and  Nell,  n.  22Z-'223.)  "We  shall  reign"  also  signifies  that 
they  have  wisdom  from  the  Lord,  because  "kings  and  priests" 
signify  truths  and  goods,  and  all  wisdom  is  from  truths  that 
are  from  good  from  the  Lord.  It  is  said  that  they  shall 
reign  upon  the  earthy  because  the  "earth"  means  the  Lord's 
church  in  the  heavens  and  on  the  earth  (see  above,  n.  304).     It 


CHAP,   v.,   VERSE    II. — N.   335.  629 

is  clear,  moreover,  that  "earth"  here  does  not  mean  the  earth, 
just  as  it  is  not  meant  that  they  wjre  to  be  kings  and  priests. 
"  To  reign  "  signifies  to  be  in  truths  from  good,  and  thus  in  power 
and  wisdom  from  the  Lord,  because  "kingdom''  signifies  heaven 
and  the  church  in  respedl  to  truths,  and  "  king  "  truth  from  good. 

(That  "  kingdom  "  in  the  Word  signifies  heaven  and  the  church  in  respedt  to  truths, 
see  above,  n.  48;  and  "king  "truth  from  good,  also  above,  n.  3I.  "To  reign" 
has  the  same  signification  in  chap.  XX.  4,  6;    XXU.  5O 

VERSES  II,  12. 

^34*  "^"'^  '  *<""•  ""''  '  heard  a  voice  of  many  angels  round  about  the  throne,  and 
the  animals,  and  the  elders;  and  the  number  of  them  was  myriads  of  myriads  and  thousands 
of  thousands ;  saying  with  a  great  voice,  Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  hath  been  slain  to  receive 
the  power  and  riches  and  wisdom  and  honor  and  glory  and  blessing." 

11.  "And  I  heard  the  voice  of  many  angels  round  about  the  throne,  the  animals, 

and  the  elders,"  signifies  acknowledgment  and  consequent  glorification 
of  the  Lord  by  the  angels  of  the  lower  heavens  [n.  335] ;  "and  the  num- 
ber of  them  was  myriads  of  myriads  and  thousands  of  thousands" 
signifies  the  itittumerable  who  are  in  truths,  and  the  innumerable  who 
are  in  goods  [n.  336]. 

12.  "Saying  with  a  great  voice.  Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  hath  been  slain,"  sig- 

nifies acknoi.vledginent  from  the  heart  that  every  thing  Divine  is  from 
the  Lord^s  Divine  Human  unacknoivledged,  and  by  many  denied  [n. 
337];  "to receive  the  power  and  riches  and  wisdom"  signihcs  that  to 
J/im  belong  omnipotence,  omniscience,  and  Divine  providence  \ri.  338]; 
"and  honor  and  glory"  signifies  that  to  Him  belong  Divine  good  and 
Divine  truth  [n.  339];  "and  blessing"  signifies  acknowledgment  and 
glorification  of  the  Lord  07i  that  account,  and  thanksgiving  that  from 
Him  is  every  good  and  truth,  and  thus  heaven  and  eternal  happiness 
to  those  who  receive  [n.  340]. 

335«  iVerse  11.]  "And  I  heard  the  voice  of  many  angels  round 
about  the  throne,  the  animals,  and  the  elders,"  signifies  acknow- 
ledgment and  consequent  glorification  of  the  Lord  by  the  angels 
of  the  lower  heavens. — This  is  evident  from  what  has  been  said 
above  (n.  322),  namely,  that  they  acknowledged  and  glorified 
the  Lord  in  this  order ;  first  the  angels  of  the  higher  heavens, 
then  the  angels  of  the  lower  heavens,  and  lastly  those  who 
are  below  the  heavens  ;  for  "the  four  animals"  and  "the  four- 
and-twenty  elders"  who  first  glorified  signify  the  angels  of  the 
higher  heavens  (see  above,  n.  322)  ;  but  these  now  mentioned, 
who  were  "round  about  the  throne"  and  "round  about  the 
animals  and  the  elders,"  mean  the  angels  of  the  lower  heav- 
ens ;  and  by  "  every  creature  that  is  in  heaven  and  in  the  earth, 
and  under  the  earth  and  in  the  sea"  (of  which  see  just  below, 
verse  13)  those  who  are  below  the  heavens  are  meant.  That 
the  angels  of  the  lower  heavens  are  here  meant  is  clear  also 
from  this,  that  they  are  said  to  be  "  round  about  the  throne,  the 
animals,  and  the  elders,"  and  "roundabout"  means  in  the  Word 


630  AFOCALYl'SK    EXPLAINED. 

what  is  in  the  more  remote  borders,  thus  what  is  distant ;  but  where 
heaven  is  treated  of,  it  means  what  is  distant  in  degree  of  intelli- 
gence and  wisdom,  thus  what  is  below.  For  the  heavens  are 
higher  and  lower,  differing  from  each  other  according  to  reception 
of  Divine  truth  and  good,  thus  according  to  degrees  of  intelligence 

and  wisdom.  (But  respedling  the  degrees  according  to  which  the  heavens,  and 
consequently  the  angels  who  are  in  them,  are  distant  from  each  other,  see  Heaven  and 

Hell,  n.  33,  34,  38, 39, 208,  209,  211,  425.)  What  is  below  in  accordance 
with  these  degrees  is  what  is  signified  by  "  round  about ;"  also, 
elsewhere  in  the  Word,  "round  about,"  "circuit,"  "afar,"  "dis- 
tant," "uttermost  parts,"  and  the  like,  have  a  like  signification. 

336[rt]»  "And  ihe  number  of  ihem  was  myriads  of  myriads 
and  ffiousands  of  thousands"  signifies  t/ie  ininwiei'able  who  are 
in  truths,  and  the  iniiumerable  who  are  in  goods. — This  is  evi- 
dent from  the  signification  of  "number,"  as  meaning  quantity 
and  quality,  quantity  in  the  natural  sense,  and  quality  in  the 
spiritual  sense,  the  number  employed  determining  the  quantity 
and  quality.  But  all  numbers  in  the  Word  signify  something 
pertaining  to  the  thing,  as  "two,"  "three,"  "four,"  "five," 
"seven,"  "ten,"  and  "twelve,"  as  has  been  shown  where  these 
are  treated  of;  it  is  the  same  with  "myriad"  and  "thousand," 
which  are  here  mentioned.  The  number  "seven,"  for  exam- 
ple, signifies  not  seven,  but  all,  fulness,  and  wholeness  (soe 
above,  n.  257).  But  what  "myriads"  and  "thousands"  signify 
shall  now  be  explained.  "Myriads"  signify  things  innumerable, 
"thousands"  the  same  ;  but  "myriads"  are  predicated  of  truths, 
and  "thousands"  of  goods  ;  this  is  why  "myriads  of  myriads, 
and  thousands  of  thousands,"  signify  the  innumerable  who  are 
in  truths,  and  the  innumerable  who  are  in  goods.  [2.]  Those 
in  the  lower  heavens  of  whom  these  things  are  said,  as  well  as 
those  in  the  higher  heavens  who  were  treated  of  above,  are  of  two 
kingdoms,  namely,  a  spiritual  kingdom  and  a  celestial  kingdom  ; 
those  who  are  of  the  spiritual  kingdom  are  meant  by  those  who 
are  in  truths,  while  those  who  are  of  the  celestial  kingdom  are 
meant  by  those  who  are  in  goods  ;  the  innumerableness  of  the 
latter  is  signified  by  "thousands  of  thousands,"  and  the  innu- 
merableness of  the  former  by  "myriads  of  myriads  ;"  but  in  an 
abstradl  sense,  which  is  the  true  spiritual  sense,  innumerable  truths 
and  innumerable  goods  are  signified.  "Myriads"  and  "thou- 
sands" signify  things  innumerable,  because  "ten,"  and  conse- 
quently "  a  hundred,"  "a  thousand,"  and  "  ten  thousand,"  signify 
many;  for  numbers  that  are  multiples  of  the  same  number  have 
the  same  signification  as  the  simple  numbers  of  which  they 
are  multiples  (see  n.  5291,  5335,  5708,  7973).     But  when  innumerable 


CHAP,   v.,  VERSE   II. — N.   336[/l^].  63I 

things  that  are  infinitely  many  are  to  be  expressed,  they  are 
called  "myriads  of  myriads,"  and  "thousands  of  thousands." 
[3.]  Moreover,  when  two  numbers  related  by  multiplication,  one 
larger  and  the  other  smaller,  and  having  a  like  signification,  are 
mentioned  together,  as  "ten  and  a  hundred,"  or  "a  hundred 
and  a  thousand,"  the  smaller  is  predicated  of  goods,  and  the 
larger  of  truths ;  and  for  the  reason  that  each  good  consists 
of  many  truths  ;  for  good  is  formed  out  of  truths,  and  thus 
good  is  produced  by  truths  ;  on  which  account  the  larger  num- 
ber is  predicated  of  truths,  and  the  smaller  of  goods ;  so  here, 
"myriads  of  myriads  and  thousands  of  thousands."  That  it 
is  so  may  be  illustrated  by  this,  that  a  single  delight  of  affec- 
tion may  be  presented  in  many  ideas  of  thought,  and  be  ex- 
pressed by  various  things  in  speech  ;  the  delight  of  affection  is 
what  is  called  good,  and  the  ideas  of  thought  and  various  things 
in  the  speech  that  proceed  from  that  delight  or  good  are  what 
are  called  truths.  It  is  the  same  with  one  thing  of  the  will  in 
respect  to  many  things  of  its  understanding,  and  with  one  thing 
•of  love  in  respe6l  to  many  things  that  express  it.  From  this  it 
is  that  "many"  and  "  multitude"  in  the  Word  are  predicated  of 
truths,  and  "great"  and  "greatness"  of  good,  for  what  is  great 
contains  in  itself  many  things.  But  these  things  are  said  for 
those  who  can  be  instrudled  by  examples,  that  they  may  know 
why  it  is  that  "thousands,"  the  same  as  "  myriads,"  signify  things 
innumerable,  but  that  "myriads,"  are  predicated  of  truths,  and 
"  thousands  "  of  goods. 

[ft.]    [4.]  That  these  numbers  have  such  significations  can  be 
seen  from  the  following  passages.     In  Moses  : 

"  In  the  first-born  of  his  bullock  he  hath  honor,  and  his  horns  are  the 
horns  of  a  unicorn  ;  with  them  he  shall  push  the  peoples  together 
to  the  ends  of  the  earth ;  and  these  are  the  myriads  of  Ephraim, 
and  these  are  the  thousands  of  Manasseh"  {Deut.  xxxiii.  17). 

These  things  are  said  of  Joseph,  who  in  a  representative  sense 
signifies  the  Lord  in  respedl  to  the  spiritual  Divine  and  in  respedl 
to  His  spiritual  kingdom  (see  ^.C,  n.  3969,  3971,  4669,  6417)  ;  his  two 
sons,  "Ephraim"  and  "Manasseh,"  signify  the  two  constituents 
of  that  kingdom,  namely,  intellectual  truth  and  voluntary  good  ; 
"  Ephraim  "  intelledual  truth,  and  "  Manasseh  "  voluntary  good  ; 
it   is   therefore   said  "myriads   of  Ephraim  and  thousands  of 

Manasseh."    (That"  Ephraim  "and  "Manasseh  "have  this  significance,  see  .4.  C, 

n-  3969.  5351.  S3S3,  5354.  6222,  6234,  6238,  6267,  6296.)  What  is  here  sig- 
nified by  the  "first-born  of  the  bullock,"  and  by  the  "horns  of 
the  unicorn,"  see  above  (n.  3i6[</]).     [5.]    In  David  : 


t)32  A)'()C.M.Y1'SI-.    i:\PLAIXKW. 

"  The  chariots  of  God  are  two  myriads,  thousands  of  angels  of  peace  ; 
the  Lord  is  in  them,  Sinai  in  the  san«fluary  "  (Psalm  Ixviii.  17). 

"Chariots  of  (iod"  signify  truths  of  dodrine,  and  "angels  of 
peace"  goods  of  dodlrine  ;  therefore  " myriads "  are  predicated 
of  the  former,  and  "thousands"  of  the  latter.  (That  "chariots"  sig- 
nify truths  of  doiflrine,  see  A.C.,x\.  2762,5321,  8215;   and   that  "  peace  "  signifies 

the inmostof good, see //mz'^w rt;/rf//^//,n.  284-290.)  And  because  the  Lord 
is  called  "Lord"  from  good,  and  "Sinai"  signifies  heaven  where 
and  from  which  is  Divine  truth,  it  is  said,  "  the  Lord  is  in  them, 
Sinai  in  the  sancSluary,"  "san6tuary"  meaning  heaven  and  the 

church  where  Divine  truth  is.  (I'hat  the  Lord  is  called  "Lord"  from  Divine 
good,  and  "  God"  from  Divine  truth,  see  A.C.,  n.  4973,  9167,  9194;  and  that  "  Sinai  " 
signifies  heaven  where  the  I^ord  is,  from  whom  is  Divine  truth,  that  is,  from  whom 
is  the  law,  in  a  stri(5t  sense  and  in  a  broad  sense,  n.  8399,  8753,  8793,  8805,  9420.) 

[6.]    In  the  same, 

"  Thou  shalt  not  be  afraid  for  the  terror  of  night ;  for  the  arrow  that 
flieth  by  day  ;  for  the  pestilence  that  creepeth  in  darkness  ;  for  the 
death  that  wasteth  at  noonday.  A  thousand  shall  fall  at  thy  side, 
and  a  myriad  at  thy  right  hand  "  {Psalm  xci.  5-7). 

This  is  said  of  falsities  and  evils  that  are  not  known  to  be  falsi- 
ties and  evils,  and  of  falsities  and  evil  that  are  known  to  be  such, 
and  yet  creep  into  the  thought  and  into  the  will,  and  destroy 
men.  Falsities  that  are  known  to  be  falsities  are  meant  by  "the 
arrow  that  flieth  by  day,"  and  evils  that  are  known  to  be  evils 
and  yet  gain  entrance  are  meant  by  "  the  death  that  wasteth  at 
noon-day  ;"  and  falses  that  are  not  known  to  be  falses  are  meant 
by  "  the  terror  of  night ;"  and  evils  that  are  not  known  to  be  evils 
by  "the  pestilence  that  creepeth  in  darkness  ;"  the  destruction 
of  these  evils  is  signified  by  "the  thousand  that  shall  fall  at  his 
side;"  and  destru6lion  of  falsities  by  "the  myriad  that  shall  fall 
at  his  right  hand,"  "the  side,  at  which  they  shall  fall,"  signify- 
ing good,  and  "  the  right  hand"  truth  of  good.  "  Thousand  "  is 
predicated  of  evils,  and  "myriad"  of  falsities,  because  falsities 
are  the  contraries  of  truths,  and  evils  of  goods  ;  and  in  the  Word 
the  contraries  are  expressed  by  the  same  words  and  the  same 
numbers.     [7.]    In  the  same, 

"  Our  garners  are  full,  yielding  from  food  to  food  ;  our  flocks  are  thou- 
sands, myriads  in  our  streets"  {Psalm  cxliv.  13). 

"Garners"  and  "food"  signify  the  goods  and  truths  of  the 
church  ;  for  spiritual  foods  are  knowledges  of  truth  and  good, 
by  which  there  is  intelligence  ;  like  things,  but  more  internal,  are 
signified  by  "  flocks ;"  therefore  the  goods  of  the  church  are 
meant  by  "thousands,"  and  its  truths  by  "myriads;"  and  be- 
cause truths  are  meant  by  "  myriads,"  it  is  said,  "myriads  in  our 


CHAP,  v.,  VERSE    II. — N.  336[^].  633 

Streets,"  for  the  "streets"  of  a  city  signify  truths  of  doctrine. 

(That  "  food  "  signifies  both  good  and  truth,  see  A.C.,  n.  3114,  4459,  4792,  5147, 
5293.  534°.  5342,  5410,  5426,  5576,  5582,  5588,  5655,  5915,  6277,  8418,  8562,  9003; 
consequently  "  garners,  "  which  are  storehouses  for  food,  have  the  same  signification. 
That  "  flocks  "  signify  interior  goods  and  truths,  which  are  called  spiritual,  n.  1565, 
2566,  3767,  3768.  3772,  3783,  3795,  5913,  6044,  6048,  8937,  10609.)      [8.]     In 

Micah  : 

"Will  Jehovah  be  pleased  with  thousands  of  rams,  with  myriads  of  riv- 
ers of  oil  ?"  (vi.  7.) 

Because  "rams"  signify  spiritual  goods,  and  "rivers  of  oil" 
truths  going  forth  from  good,  "myriads"  are  predicated  of  the 
latter,  and  "thousands"  of  the  former.  (That  " rams "  signify  spiritiial 
goods,  see  .-i.c,  n.  2830,  4170.)  And  as  "  oil "  signifies  the  good  of 
love,  "rivers"  of  it  signify  what  goes  forth  from  it,  namely, 
truths.     [9.]  In  Daniel  : 

"  I  beheld  till  thrones  were  cast  down,  and  the  Ancient  of  days  did  sit. 
....  A  stream  of  fire  issued  and  went  forth  from  before  Him  ;  a 
thousand  of  thousands  ministered  unto  Him,  and  a  myriad  of  myr- 
iads stood  before  Him"  (vii.  9,  10). 

This  treats  of  the  Lord's  coming,  and  the  "thrones  that  were 
cast  down "  signify  the  falsities  of  the  church  which  were  de- 
stroyed ;  "  the  Ancient  of  days  "  means  the  Lord  from  eternity  : 
"the  stream  of  fire  issuing  and  going  forth  from  before  Him" 
signifies  the  Divine  good  of  love  and  Divine  truth  therefrom, 
"  a  stream  of  fire  issuing  "  the  Divine  good  of  love  and  the 
same  "going  forth,"  Divine  truth  proceeding  ;  because  both  of 
these  are  signified  it  is  said,  "  a  thousand  of  thousands  ministered 
unto  Him,  and  a  myriad  of  myriads  stood  before  Him,"  "thou- 
sand" referring  to  Divine  good,  and  "myriad"  to  Divine  truth  ; 
"ministering"  also  is  predicated  of  good  (see  above,  n.  155)^ 
and  "standing,"  as  well  as  "going  forth,"  is  predicated  of  truth. 
[10.]  In  Moses  : 

When  the  ark  rested,  Moses  said,  "  Return,  O  Jehovah,  to  the  myriads 
of  the  thousands  of  Israel  "  {Num.  x.  36). 

As  the  "ark"  signified  the  celestial  Divine  going  forth  from  the 
Lord,  because  of  the  law  or  testimony  that  was  in  it,  and  as  "  Is- 
rael "  signified  the  church  in  respedl  to  reception  of  Divine  good 
and  Divine  truth,  it  is  said,  "  the  myriads  of  the  thousands  of  Is- 
rael," which  signify  truths  from  good,  which  are  in  "Israel," 
that  is,  in  the  church.  But  what  "  a  thousand  {chilias  sen  mine) " 
signifies  when  "ten  thousand,"  that  is,  a  "myriad,"  is  not  joined 
with  it,  will  be  seen  hereafter  where  it  is  treated  of;  likewise 
what  is  signified  by  "number." 


634  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

337«  [Fc-rse  12.]  "Saying  with  a  great  voice,  Worth/  is  the 
Lamb  that  hath  been  s/ain,"  s'n^mhes  acknoivlcdgment  frotn  the 
hca)t  tliat  eve  )y  thing  Divine  is  from  the  Lord's  Divine  Human 
unacknowledged  and  by  many  denied. — This  is  evident  from 
the  signification  of  "saying  with  a  great  voice,"  as  meaning  ac- 
knowledgment from  the  heart  (of  which  presently)  ;  also  from 
the  signification  of  "worthy,"  as  meaning,  in  reference  to  tiie 
Lord,  merit  and  justice  (respecting  which  see  above,  n.  293, 
303)  ;  here  therefore  it  signifies  that  from  His  own  power,  thus 
from  merit,  He  acquired  for  Himself  everything  Divine,  and  so 
from  justice  everything  Divine  is  His.  That  this  is  meant  by 
"He  is  worthy,"  is  evident  from  what  immediately  follows, 
namely,  "  to  receive  the  power  and  riches  and  wisdom  and 
honor  and  glory  and  blessing ;"  which  in  the  aggregate  signi- 
fies everything  Divine.  This  is  evident  also  from  the  signification 
of  "the  Lamb,"  as  meaning  the  Lord  in  respe<?i:  to  the  Divine 
Human  (of  which  also  above,  n.  314)  ;  also  from  the  signification 
of  "hath  been  slain,"  as  meaning  unacknowledged  and  by  many 
denied  (of  which  also  above,  n.  315M,  328[a]).  From  all  this  it 
is  clear  that  "Saying  with  a  great  voice.  Worthy  is  the  Lamb 
that  hath  been  slain,"  signifies  acknowledgment  from  the  heart 
that  everything  Divine  is  from  the  Lord's  Divine  Human  un- 
acknowledged and  by  many  denied.  That  everything  Divine  is 
in  the  Lord's  Human,  and  from  it,  in  heaven  and  on  earth,  has 
been  shown  in  many  places,  and  will  be  seen  confirmed  at  the  end 
of  this  work.  That  "saying  with  a  great  voice"  means  acknow- 
ledgment from  the  heart,  here  that  it  means  what  has  now  been 
stated,  can  be  seen  from  what  goes  before  and  what  follows,  in 
conne(5lion  ;  moreover,  "voice"  signifies  all  the  things  that  are 
then  said,  and  "a  great  voice"  signifies  that  these  things  are 
firom  the  heart.  There  are  two  words  that  often  occur  in  the 
Word,  namely,  "great"  and  "many,"  and  "great"  is  predicated 
of  good,  and  "many"  of  truths  (for  the  reason  see  just  above, 
n.  336[fl]) ;  and  as  what  goes  forth  from  good  goes  forth 
from  the  heart,  here  "saying  with  a  great  voice"  signifies  ac- 
knowledgment from  the  heart;  moreover,  "heart"  from  corre- 
spondence signifies  the  good  of  love  (see  Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  95,  447; 
and  above,  n.  167). 

338.  "  To  receive  the  power  and  riches  and  wisdom  "  signifies 
that  to  Him  beloyig  omnipotence,  omniscience,  and  Divine  prov- 
idence.— This  is  evident  from  the  signification  of  "power,"  as 
meanmg,  in  reference  to  the  Lord,  omnipotence ;  from  the  sig- 
nification of  "  riches,"  as  meaning,  in  reference  to  the  Lord,  om- 
niscience ;  and  from  the  signification  of  "wisdom,"  as  meaning,  in 


CHAP,  v.,  VERSE    12. — N.   340[a].  635 

reference  to  the  Lord,  Divine  providence.  This  is  what  is  meant, 
because  respecting  the  Lord  nothing  can  be  predicated  except 
what  is  above  all  things ;  when,  therefore,  it  is  said  that  He  has 
power  it  is  meant  that  He  has  all  power,  which  is  omnipotence ; 
and  when  it  is  said  that  He  has  riches  it  is  meant  that  He  has 
all  spiritual  riches,  which  signify  intelligence  and  therefore  omni- 
science (that  "  riches  "  in  the  Word  signify  knowledges  of  truth 
and  good  and  thus  intelligence,  may  be  seen  above,  n.  236)  ;  and 
when  it  is  said  that  He  has  "wisdom,"  it  is  meant  that  He  has 
all  wisdom,  which  is  Divine  providence ;  for  true  wisdom  is  to  see 
what  is  conducive  to  one's  life  to  eternity,  and  to  determine  one- 
self according  to  that,  which  is  done  when  man  not  only  knows 
these  things  and  perceives  them  with  his  understanding,  but  also 
wills  and  does  them  ;  but  Divine  wisdom  is  to  provide  these 
things  for  man  ;  thus  it  is  Divine  providence.  (What  Divine  provid- 
ence is  further  may  be  seen  in  The  New  yerusalem  and  its  Heavenly  Dodlrlne, 
n.  267-279.) 

339.  "And  honor  and  glory"  signifies  that  to  Him  belong 
Divine  good  and  Divine  truth. — This  is  evident  from  the  signifi- 
cation of  "honor  and  glory,"  as  meaning,  in  reference  to  the 
Lord,  Divine  good  and  Divine  truth  (of  which  see  above,  n.  288). 

340[fl!].  "And  blessing"  signifies  acknowledgment  and  glo- 
rification of  the  Lord  on  that  account^  and  thanksgiving  that  from 
Him,  is  every  good  and  truth,  and  thus  heaven  and  etej-nal  happi- 
ness to  those  who  receive. — This  is  evident  from  the  signification 
of  "blessing,"  as  meaning,  in  reference  to  the  Lord,  acknowledg- 
ment, here  acknowledgment  that  to  Him  belong  omnipotence, 
omniscience,  providence,  Divine  good,  and  Divine  truth,  which  are 
signified  by  "Worthy  is  He  to  receive  the  power,  riches,  wisdom, 
honor,  and  glory,"  and  as  meaning  also  glorification  on  that  ac- 
count. Moreover,  "blessing,"  in  reference  to  the  Lord,  signifies 
thanksgiving  that  from  Him  is  every  good  of  love  and  truth  of 
faith,  and  thus  heaven  and  eternal  happiness  to  those  who  receive. 
Because  "blessing"  here  signifies  acknowledgment  and  glorifica- 
tion on  that  account,  and  also  thanksgiving,  blessing  is  men- 
tioned in  the  last  place,  or  as  a  fitting  end,  by  these  angels,  who 
were  glorifying  the  Lord.  These  things  are  signified  by  "  bless- 
ing," in  reference  to  the  Lord,  because  nothing  is  a  blessing  ex- 
cept what  is  given  by  the  Lord,  for  that  alone  is  blessed  because 
it  is  Divine  and  eternal,  and  contains  in  itself  heaven  and  eternal 
happiness  ;  all  other  things  which  have  not  in  themselves  what 
is  Divine  and  eternal  are  not  a  blessing,  even  though  they  may 

be  so  called   (see  Doilr'me  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  n.  269,  270).      [2.]    That 


6^6  APOCAI.Yl'SE    i:\lM. AINKD. 

"blessing,"  vvIk'II  it  is  nKiUioncd  in  tlu-  Word,  has  this  significa- 
tion, can  be  seen  from  the  phices  where  it  occurs  when  understood 
in  the  internal  sense.  In  the  first  j dace,  some  passages  shall  be 
quoted  in  which  "  blessed  "  and  "  blessing  "  are  mentioned  in  refer- 
ence to  Jehovah,  that  is,  the  Lord  ;  also  where  the  expression  "to 
bless  God"  is  used,  that  it  may  be  seen  that  these  signify  acknow- 
ledgment, glorification,  and  thanksgiA'ing  that  from  Him  is  every 
good  and  truth,  and  thus  heaven  and  eternal  happiness  to  those 
who  receive.     In  Luke : 

The  mouth  of  Zacharias  was  opened,"  and  he  spake,  blessing  God 

And  he  said,  Blessed  be  the  Lord  God  of  Israel,  for  He  hath  visited 
and  wrought  redemption  for  His  people"  (i.  64,  67,  68). 

This  Zacharias  said  when,  filled  with  the  Spirit,  he  prophesied  of 
the  Lord;  and  "blessing  God,"  and  "blessed  be  the  Lord  God 
of  Israel,"  signify  glorification  and  thanksgiving  that  He  frees  and 
deli\'ers  from  hell  those  who  receive  Him  ;  consequently  it  is  said, 
"  for  He  hath  visited  and  wrought  redemption  for  His  people  " 
Israel;  "redemption"  signifying  liberation  from  hell,  and  "His 
people"  those  who  are  in  truths  from  good,  thus  those  who  re- 
ceive. That  "redemption"  signifies  liberation  and  deliverance 
from  hell,  see  above  (n.  328)  ;  and  that  "people"  signifies  those 
who  are  in  truths  from  good  (n.  331).     [3.]    In  the  same, 

Simeon  took  the  infant  Jesus  in  his  arms,  "  and  blessed  God ;  and  said, 
....  Mine  eyes  have  seen  Thy  salvation,  which  Thou  hast  prepared 
before  the  face  of  all  peoples"  (ii.  28-31). 

Here  "  to  bless  God  "  evidently  means  to  glorify  and  give  thanks 
because  the  Lord  was  to  come  into  the  world,  to  save  all  who  re- 
ceive Him  ;  consequently  he  calls  the  Lord  "the  salvation  "  which 
his  eyes  saw,  which  is  prepared  for  all  people.  Those  are  called 
"His  people"  who  are  in  truths  from  good,  thus  who  by  means 
of  truths  receive  Him,  as  was  said  above.     [4.]    In  David  : 

"  They  have  seen  Thy  goings,  O  God The  singers  went  before, 

the  minstrels  after,  in  the  midst  of  virgins  playing  on  timbrels. 
Bless  ye  God  in  the  congregations,  the  Lord  from  the  fountain  of 
salvation  "  [Psalm  Ixviii.  24-26). 

"  To  bless  God  in  the  congregations,  the  Lord  from  the  fountain  of 
salvation,"  signifies  to  glorify  the  Lord  from  spiritual  truths,  which 
are  truths  from  good.  "  Congregations  "  in  the  Word  have  the 
same  signification  as  "  people,"  namely,  those  who  are  in  spiritual 
truths,  and  abstradlly,  those  truths  themselves  ;  and  "  fountain  of 
salvation  "  signifies  spiritual  good,  since  salvation  is  by  means  of 
that  good  ;  spiritual  good  is  the  good  of  charity  towards  the  ndgh- 


CFrAl>.   v.,   VERSK     12.— \.  34<  >[()■].  1637 

bor,  and  spiritual  trutli  is  the  truth  of  faith  from  that  gcjocl.    (iiiat 

"congregations  "  in  the  Word  are  predicated  of  spiritual  truths,  see  .■1.C..  n.  6355, 

7843.1  Because  "  to  bless  in  the  congreg-ations  "  signifies  glorifi- 
cation from  spiritual  truths,  and  "  to  bless  from  the  fountain  of 
salvation  "  signifies  glorification  from  spiritual  good,  in  the  first 
case  the  name  "God"  is  used,  and  in  the  latter  "Lord  ;  for  the 
name  "  God  "  is  used  in  the  Word  where  truths  are  treated  of,  and 
"Jehovah  "  and  "  Lord  "  where  good  is  treated  of  It  is  clear  that 
glorification  is  what  is  meant  by  "  to  bless,"  from  its  immediately 
following  after  these  words,  "  the  singers  went  before,  the  min- 
strels after,  in  the  midst  of  virgins  playing  on  timbrels,"  which 
signifies  glorification  from  spiritual  truths  and  goods,  as  may 
be  seen  above  (n.  323,  326).     [5.]    In  the  same, 

"O  sing  unto  Jehovah  a  new  song;  sing  unto  Jehovah,  all  the  earth. 
....  Bless  His  name  ;  proclaim  His  salvation  from  day  to  day. 
Recount  His  glory  among  the  nations  "  (Psa/m  xcvi.  1-3). 

^'To  bless  Jehovah"  here  evidently  is  to  glorify  Him  and  give 
thanks  unto  Him  ;  and  because  all  glorification  of  Him  is 
from  spiritual  truths  and  from  spiritual  good,  it  is  said,  "  Bless 
His  name,  proclaim  His  salvation  from  day  to  day,"  "name" 
having  reference  to  truths,  and  "salvation  "  to  good.  "  To  sing 
a  song  "  signifies  to  glorify  from  such  truths  and  from  such  good 
(see  above,  n.  S2^[d.c'\,  326[a']).     [6.]    In  Moses  : 

Jehovah  chose  the  sons  of  Levi  "to  minister  unto  Him,  and  to  bless 
in  the  name  of  Jehovah  "  {Deut.  x.  8  ;  xxi.  5). 

Because  the  sons  of  Levi  were  appointed  for  Divine  worship,  and 
because  all  Divine  worship  is  effedled  from  spiritual  good  and 
truths  therefrom,  it  is  said  that  "Jehovah  chose  them  to  minister 
unto  Him,  and  to  bless  in  His  name,"  "to  minister"  signifying 
worship  from  spiritual  good,  and  "to  bless"  signifying  worship 
from  spiritual  truths.  That  "to  minister"  has  reference  to  wor- 
ship from  good,  see  above  (n.  155).     [7.]    In  David  : 

O  Jehovah,  "  Thou  hast  prevented  the  King  with  the  blessings  of  good- 
ness.   Thou  hast  set  a  crown  of  best  gold  on  his  head Glory 

and  honor  dost  Thou  lay  upon  him.     For  Thou  settest  him  bless- 
ings forever  "  {Psalm  xxi.  3,  5,  6). 

"  The  King "  here  does  not  mean  David,  but  the  Lord,  who  is 
called  "  King  "  from  the  spiritual  Divine  that  goes  forth  from  His 
Divine  Human;  and  because  "blessing"  signifies  acknowledg- 
ment, glorification,  and  thanksgiving  that  every  good  and  truth, 
and  thus  heaven  and  eternal  happiness,  are  from  Him,  it  is  e\:dent 
what  is  signified  by  "Thou  hast  prevented    the  King  with   tliC 


6^ii  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

blessings  of  goodness,  and  by  "Thou  settest  him  blessings  for 
ever."  "  Blessings  of  goodness  "  signify  truths  from  good  ;  "  a  crown 
of  best  gold"  signifies  the  good  from  which  truths  are;  "honor 
and  glory"  signify  Divine  good  and  Divine  truth.     (That  "David" 

in  the  Word  means  the  Lord,  see  above,  n.  205  ;  lii<ewise  "  king "'  in  the  Psalms,  n. 
31  [<j];  that  the  "  crown  of  kings"  signifies  Divine  good,  n.  272;  likewise  "gold," 
n.  2^2\a,d,e\\  and  that  "  honor  and  glory  "  signify  Divine  good  and  Divine  truth, 
n.  288.) 

[&•]    [8.]  From  all  this  it  can  be  seen  what  "blessed"  signifies 
in  reference  to  the  Lord,  as  in  the  following  passages  : 

The  disciples  cried  with  a  great  voice,  "  Blessed  is  the  King  that  Com- 
eth in  the  name  of  the  Lord  "  {Luke  xix.  37,  38). 

The  multitude  cried,  "  Hosanna  to  the  Son  of  David  ;  Blessed  is  He  that 
Cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  "  {Matt.  xxi.  9  ;  Mark  xi.  9,  10  ; 
John  xii.  12,  13). 

Jesus  said,  "  Ye  shall  not  see  Me  henceforth,  until  ye  shall  say,  Blessed 
is  He  that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  "  {Matt,  xxiii.  39  ;  Luke 
xiii.  35). 

The  High  Priest  asked  Jesus,  "Art  Thou  then  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the 
blessed?"  {Mark  xiv.  61.) 

"Blessed  is  He  that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord"  signifies 
to  be  glorified  because  all  Divine  truth  and  Divine  good  are  from 
Him.  The  Lord's  "name"  signifies  everything  by  which  He  is 
worshipped ;  and  as  this  has  reference  to  good  of  love  and  truth 
of  faith,  these   are  signified    by   the    Lord's  "name."     (That  the 

Lord's  "name"  signifies  everything  by  which  He  is  worshipped,  see  above,  n. 
102,  135,  148,  224;  and  that  the  Lord  is  called  "  Lord  "  from  Divine  good,  A.C., 

n.  4973, 9167,  9194.)     [9.]    In  Moses  : 

Melchizedek  blessed  Abram,  and  said,  "  Blessed  be  Abram  to  God  Most 
High,  possessor  of  heaven  and  earth ;  and  blessed  be  God  Most 
High,  who  hath  delivered  thine  enemies  into  thy  hand"  {Gen.  xiv. 
18-20). 

Here  it  is  said,  "  Blessed  be  God  Most  High,  who  hath  delivered 
thine  enemies  into  thy  hand,"  signifying  that  to  Him  belong  glo- 
rification and  thanksgiving  on  that  account.  Those  therefore  who 
receive  Divine  good  and  Divine  truth  from  the  Lord,  are  called 

"Blessed  "  {Psalm  xxxvii.  22  ;  cxv.  15  ;  Matt.  xxv.  34). 

[10.]  That  "blessing"  has  no  other  meaning,  in  reference  to  man, 
than  reception  of  Divine  truth  and  Divine  good,  because  in  them 
are  heaven  and  eternal  happiness,  can  be  seen  from  the  following 
passages.     In  Da\'id  : 

"The  clean  in  hands  and  the  pure  in  heart ....  shall  take  a  blessing 
from  before  Jehovah,  and  righteousness  from  the  God  of  our  sal- 
vation "  {Psalm  xxiv.  4,  5). 


CHAP,  v.,  VERSE    12. — N.  34o[3].  639 

"The  clean  in  hands"  signify  those  that  are  in  truths  from  faith, 
and  "  the  pure  in  heart "  those  that  are  in  good  from  love  ;  of  such 
it  is  said  that  they  "shall  take  a  blessing  from  before  Jehovah,  and 
righteousness  from  the  God  of  salvation,"  and  "taking  a  blessing" 
signifies  reception  of  Divine  truth,  and  "taking  righteousness" 

reception  of  Divine  good.  (That  "  righteousness  "  is  predicated  of  good,  see 
above,  n.  204;  and  A.C.,  n.  2235,  9857.)      [II.]     In  MoseS  : 

"  Thus  shall  ye  bless  the  sons  of  Israel,. . .  .Jehovah  bless  thee  and  keep 
thee  ;  Jehovah  make  His  faces  to  shine  upon  thee,  and  be  gracious 
unto  thee  ;  Jehovah  lift  up  His  faces  upon  thee,  and  give  thee 
peace.  Thus  shall  they  put  My  name  upon  the  sons  of  Israel ;  and 
I  will  bless  them  "  {Num.  vi.  23-27). 

From  this,  unfolded  by  means  of  the  internal  sense,  it  is  evident 
what  in  brief  " blessing "  involves;  namely,  that  Jehovah,  that  is, 
the  Lord,  fi*oni  Divine  love  flows  in  with  Divine  truth  and  with 
Divine  good  with  those  who  receive ;  Divine  love,  from  which  the 
Lord  flows  in,  being  meant  by  "the  faces  of  Jehovah ;"  Divine 
truth,  with  which  the  Lord  flows  in,  by  "Jehovah  make  His  faces 
to  shine  upon  thee ;"  and  Divine  good,  with  which  He  flows  in, 
by  "Jehovah  lift  up  His  faces  upon  thee;"  prote6tion  from  evils 
and  falsities,  which  would  otherwise  take  away  the  influx,  by 
"keep  thee"  and  "be  gracious  unto  thee;"  heaven  and  eternal 
happiness,  which  the  Lord  gives  by  means  of  His  Divine  truth 
and  His  Divine  good,  by  "give  thee  peace  ;"  communication  and 
conjundlion  with  those  who  receive,  by  "  thus  shall  they  put  My 
name  upon  the  sons  of  Israel,"  "name"  of  Jehovah  signifying  the 
Divine  that  goes  forth,  which  is  called  in  general  Divine  truth  and 
Divine  good,  and  "sons  of  Israel"  signifying  those  who  are  of  the 
church,  thus  who  receive,  of  whom  it  is  therefore  said,  "and  I  will 
bless  them."  This  is  the  internal  or  spiritual  sense  of  these  words, 
as  can  be  seen  from  this,  that  "faces  "  of  Jehovah  signify  the  Divine 
love,  "to  make  them  to  shine"  signifies  influx  of  Divine  truth, 
and  "to  lift  them  up"  signifies  influx  of  Divine  good.  That  these 
things  may  be  better  understood,  the  ground  of  these  significations 
shall  be  explained.  The  Lord  appears  to  angels  in  heaven  as 
a  sun  ;  it  is  His  Divine  love  that  so  appears ;  this,  therefore,  is 
what  is  meant  by  the  "face"  of  Jehovah  :  the  light  that  goes  forth 
therefrom  is  Divine  truth  ;  this,  therefore,  is  what  is  meant  by  "  mak- 
ing His  faces  to  shine  :"  the  heat  that  also  goes  forth  therefrom  is 
Divine  good;  this,  therefore,  is  what  is  meant  by  "lifting  up  His 
faces,"  for  "  to  lift  up  "  signifies  to  reveal  Himself,  which  is  efle(5led 
from  Divine  good  by  means  of  Divine  truth.    (That  the  Lord  appears 


640  APOCALYPSn    KXPI.AINEI). 

to  angels  in  heaven  ns  a  sun,  and  that  it  is  His  Divine  Love  th:it  so  appears,  see 
Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  116-125  ;  and  that  the  hght  therefrom  is  Divine  truth,  and  the 
heat  therefrom  Divine  good,  n.  126-140.  That  "peace"  signifies  the  heavenly  de- 
hght  that  inmostly  affedts  with  blissfulness  every  good,  and  that  it  therefore  signifies 
heaven  and  eternal  happiness,  see  in  the  same.  n.  284-290 ;  and  that  "  sons  of  Israel  " 
signify  those  who  are  of  the  church,  consequently  the  church,  A.C.,  n.  6426,  8805, 
,  034'3-) 

[f.]    ri2.]   In  Ezekiel : 

"  I  will  give  them  the  circuits  of  My  hill  as  a  blessing,  and  I  will  send 
down  the  rain  in  its  season  ;  there  shall  be  rains  of  blessing.  Then 
the  tree  . .  .  shall  yield  its  fruit,  the  land  shall  yield  its  produce  " 
(xxxiv.  26,  27). 

He  who  sees  the  Word  merely  in  its  natural  sense  has  no  other 
idea  than  that  "blessing"  means  such  things  as  are  mentioned  in 
that  sense,  namely,  that  rain  should  be  given  to  make  fruitful  the 
gardens  and  fields,  and  thus  the  tree  should  yield  its  fruit  and  the 
land  its  produce  ;  but  it  is  a  spiritual  blessing  that  is  meant,  for 
"rain"  signifies  everything  Divine  that  flows  into  man  from  the 
Lord  out  of  heaven.  That  truths  will  produce  good,  and  that 
good  will  produce  truths,  is  signified  by  "the  tree  shall  yield  its 
fruit,  and  the  land  its  produce,"  "land"  as  well  as  "garden,"  in 
which  there  are  trees,  meaning  the  church;  these  and  "the  cir- 
cuits of  My  hill,"  which  are  to  be  given  as  a  blessing,  signify  the 
internal  and  external  with  men  of  the  church,  "circuit"  signify- 
ing what  is  outside  or  below,  and  "hill"  what  is  within  or  above, 
particularly  where  charity  is,  for  that  is  within.     (That "  hill"  signifies 

where  there  is  charity,  see  A.C.,  n.  6435,  10438.)      [13.]     In  David  : 

"  Blessed  is  every  one  that  feareth  Jehovah,  that  walketh  in  His  ways. 
Thou  shalt  eat  the  labor  of  thine  hands  ;  blessed  art  thou,  and  it  is 
good  with  thee.  Thy  wife  shall  be  as  a  fruitful  vine  on  the  sides 
of  thine  house  ;  thy  sons  like  olive  plants  around  thy  tables.  Be- 
hold, thus  shall  the  man  be  blessed  that  feareth  Jehovah.  Jehovah 
shall  bless  thee  out  of  Zion  ;  that  thou  mayest  see  the  good  of 
Jerusalem  all  the  days  of  thy  life  ; . . . .  peace  upon  Israel "  {Psalm 
cxxviii.). 

Here  also  "  to  be  blessed  "  does  not  mean  to  be  blessed  naturally, 
as  that  one  is  to  eat  the  labor  of  his  hands,  that  his  wife  is  to  be 
fruitful,  that  manj^  sons  are  to  be  about  his  tables,  and  that  this  is 
to  be  in  Zion  and  in  Jerusalem,  but  it  means  to  be  blessed  spirit- 
ually ;  for  "  those  that  fear  Jehovah  "  mean  those  who  love  to  do 
His  precepts  ;  it  is  therefore  said,  "  Blessed  is  he  that  feareth  Jeho- 
vah, that  walketh  in  His  ways,"  "to  walk  in  His  ways"  signifying 
to  do  His  precepts.  "The  labor  of  his  hands,"  which  he  shall  eat, 
signifies  pursuit  of  the  life  according  to  those  precepts  ;  "  the  wife 


CHAP,   v.,   VERSE    12. — N.  340[<:].  64 1 

on  the  sides  of  the  house"  signifies  affe6l;ion  fur  spiritual  truth  in 
all  things  that  he  thinks  and  does;  therefore  it  is  added,  "as  a 
fruitful  vine,"  for  "vine"  signifies  a  spiritual  church  from  aftec- 
tion  for  truth;  "sons  around  the  tables"  signify  truths  of  good 
therefrom,  "tables"  meaning  instru6tions  ;  therefore  it  is  added, 
"as  olive-plants,"  "plants"  signifying  truths,  and  "olives"  goods  ; 
"  Zion  "  signifies  heaven  whence  these  things  are  ;  and  "Jerusalem" 
dodlrine.  From  this  it  is  clear  what  is  signified  by  "Jehovah 
shall  bless  thee  out  of  Zion,  that  thou  mayest  see  the  good  of 
Jerusalem  all  the  days  of  thy  life."  "  Peace  upon  Israel"  signifies 
all  spiritual  good  in  general  and  in  particular,  "  Israel "  meaning 
the  church.     [14.]    In  the  same, 

"Like  the  dew  of  Hermon,  that  cometh  down  upon  the  mountains  of 
Zion  ;  for  there  hath  Jehovah  commanded  a  blessing,  life  even  for- 
evermore  "  {Psalm  cxxxiii.  3). 

This  treats  of  the  marriage  of  good  and  truth  and  their  fructifica- 
tion and  multiplication  ;  both  are  meant  by  "  the  dew  of  Hermon, 
that  cometh  down  upon  the  mountains  of  Zion,"  "mountains  of 
Zion  "  signifying  where  the  goods  of  celestial  love  are  ;  therefore 
it  is  added,  "  there  hath  Jehovah  commanded  a  blessing,  life  e^'en 
forevermore."    [15.]    In  IVIoses 

"  If  ye  hearken  to  these  judgments,  to  keep  and  do  them,  Jehovah  thy 
God  will  keep  unto  thee  the  covenant  and  mercy  ; . . .  .  and   He 

will  love  thee  and  bless  thee He  will  also  bless  the   fruit 

of  thy  belly,  and  the  fruit  of  thy  ground,  thy  corn,  and  thy  new 
wine,  and  thine  oil,  the  young  of  thy  kine  and  of  the  rams  of  thy 

flock Thou  shalt  be  blessed  above  all  peoples :  there  shall 

not  be  male  or  female  barren  among  you  or  among  your  cattle. 
And  Jehovah  will  take  away  from  thee  every  disease,  and  all  the 
evil  sicknesses  of  Egypt  which  thou  knowest  He  will  not  lay  upon 
thee,  but  will  put  them  upon  all  that  hate  thee.  And  thou  shalt 
consume  all  the  peoples  that  Jehovah  thy  God  shall  deliver  to  thee  ; 
thine  eye  shall  not  spare  them  "  {Deui.  vii.  12-16). 

Things  spiritual,  thus  spiritual  blessings,  are  meant  by  all  this ; 
these  things  are  what  are  involved  in  and  signified  by  the  sense  of 
the  letter,  which  is  natural,  and  is  for  those  who  are  in  the  natural 
world,  and  therefore  in  natural  thought ;  consequently  from  the 
spiritual  sense  of  the  Word  what  is  meant  in  general  and  in  par- 
ticular by  "being  blessed"  can  be  seen.  The  "fruit  of  the  belly, 
and  fruit  of  the  ground,  the  corn,  new  wine,  and  oil,  the  young 
of  the  kine  and  of  the  rams  of  the  flock,"  mean  multiplications 
ot    truth   and    frud^ifications   of  good,    thus   spiritual   blessings. 

(When  in  particular  is  signified  by  each  can  be  seen  in  various  places  in  A.C.,  and  in 


642  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

the  explanations  of  this  prophetic  book.)  "There  shall  iiot  bc  male  or  fe- 
male barren  among  you  or  among  your  cattle"  signifies  mulii- 
plication  of  truth  and  the  fructification  of  good  in  the  internal  and 
the  external  man;  "and  Jeho\ah  will  take  away  every  disease, 
and  all  the  evil  sicknesses  of  Egypt,"  signifies  the  removal  of  all 
evils  and  falsities,  "evil  sicknesses  of  Egypt"  meaning  falsities 
arising  from  evils  in  the  natural  man.  "Those  that  hate  thee" 
upon  whom  Jehovah  will  put  these,  are  those  who  are  against  the 
goods  and  truths  of  the  church.  The  dispersion  of  the  evils  and 
falsities  that  are  against  the  truths  and  goods  of  the  church  is  sig- 
nified by  "thoushalt  consume  all  the  peoples  that  Jehovah  thy 
God  shall  deliver  to  thee ;"  and  continual  shunning  of  them  is 
meant  by  "thine  eye  shall  not  spare  them."  That  through  these 
things  those  who  do  the  Lord's  precepts  are  blessed,  is  meant  by 
"if  ye  hearken  to  these  judgments,  to  keep  and  do  them,  Jehovah 
thy  God  will  keep  unto  thee  the  covenant  and  mercy  ;  He  will 
love  thee  and  bless  thee."  "Covenant  and  mercy"  is  conjunc- 
tion from  love  by  means  of  these  precepts  ;  conjunction  by  good 
is  meant  by  "  covenant,"  and  "  He  will  love  thee  ;"  and  conjunction 
by  truth  therefrom  is  meant  by  "mercy"  and  "He  will  bless 
thee."     [16.]    In  the  same, 

"  He  shall  bless  thee  with  blessings  of  heaven  from  above,  with  blessings 
of  the  deep  that  coucheth  below,  with  blessings  of  the  breasts  and 
of  the  womb"  {Gen.  xlix.  25). 

These  things  are  said  of  Joseph,  who  here  signifies  the  Lord's 
spiritual  kingdom  ;  and  "blessings  of  heaven  from  above"  mean 
multiplications  of  truth  firom  good  in  the  internal  or  spiritual  man  ; 
"  blessings  of  the  deep  that  coucheth  below  "  mean  multiplications 
of  truth  from  good  in  the  external  or  natural  man;  and  "bless- 
ings of  the  breasts  and  of  the  womb  "  signify  spiritual  and  celestial 
goods.     [17.]    In  yoel: 

"Who  knoweth?  let  Him  return,  and  Jehovah  God  will  repent,  and  He 
will  leave  behind  Him  a  blessing,  a  meal  offering  and  a  drink  offer- 
ing to  Jehovah  our  God  "  (ii.  14). 

Because  "blessing"  signifies  spiritual  blessing,  which  in  general 
has  reference  to  good  and  truth  going  forth  from  the  Lord  and 
given  to  man,  it  is  said,  "He  will  leave  behind  Him  a  blessing,  a 
meal  offering  and  a  drink  offering  to  our  God,"  "meal-offering," 
which  was  bread,  signifying  good,  and  "drink-offering."  which 
was  wine,  signifying  truth,  both  from  the  Lord,  for  it  is  said,  "  from 
our  God." 

[^.]    [18.]  In  Isaiah: 


CHAP,   v.,  VERSE    12. — N.  34o[a?].  643 

"  In  that  day  shall  there  be  a  highway  out  of  Egypt  into  Assyria,  that 
Assyria  may  come  into  Egypt  and  Egypt  into  Assyria,  that  the 
Egyptians  may  serve  with  Assyria.  In  that  day  shall  Israel  be  a 
third  to  Egypt  and  to  Assyria,  a  blessing  in  the  midst  of  the  land  ; 
whom  Jehovah  of  Hosts  shall  bless,  saying,  Blessed  be  Egypt 
My  people,  and  Assyria  the  work  of  My  hands,  and  Israel  Mine 
inheritance  "  (xix.  23-25). 

"Israel,  Assyria,  and  Egypt,"  signify  the  three  faculties  belong- 
ing to  men  of  the  church,  namely,  the  spiritual,  the  rational 
and  the  knowing;  "Israel"  the  spiritual,  "Assyria"  the  rational, 
and  "Egypt"  the  knowing.  Because  man's  entire  rational  is 
formed  by  means  of  knowledges  {scientifica),  and  both  the  rational 
and  knowing  faculties  are  from  the  spiritual,  which  is  from  the  Lord 
out  of  heaven  (for  from  that  source  is  all  understanding  of  truth 
and  all  application  of  knowledges  isdeniiarum)  to  truths),  it  is  said 
"  there  shall  be  a  highway  out  of  Egypt  into  Assyria,  that  Assyria 
may  come  into  Egypt  and  Egypt  into  Assyria,  and  that  the  Egypt- 
ians may  serve  with  Assyria  ;"  and  again,  "  Israel  shall  be  a  third 
to  Egypt  and  to  Assyria,  a  blessing  in  the  midst  of  the  land." 
The  "midst"  signifies  the  inmost  from  which  is  the  rest,  that  is, 
from  which  is  the  whole  (see  above,  n.  313);  and  the  "land"  is 
the  church  where  these  things  are.  And  as  it  is  the  spiritual  by 
which  the  rational  and  knowing  faculties  are  applied  to  genuine 
truths,  Israel  is  called  the  "inheritance,"  that  is,  the  heir  of  the 
house  who  possesses  all  things ;  and  Assyria  is  called  "the  work 
of  My  hands,"  because  the  rational  is  formed  from  the  spiritual  ; 
and  Egypt  is  called  "a  blessed  people,"  because  in  the  knowing 
faculty,  as  in  their  outmost,  all  things  are  together.  From  this 
also  it  is  clear  that  "blessing"  in  the  Word  means  spiritual 
blessing.     [19.]    In  Zechariah: 

"  As  ye  were  a  curse  among  the  nations,  O  house  of  Judah  and  house 
of  Israel,  so  will  I  deliver  you  that  ye  may  be  a  blessing  "  (viii.  13). 

These  things  are  said  of  a  devastated  church,  and  of  a  church  to 
be  established  by  the  Lord  ;  "house  of  Judah  "  and  "house  of 
Israel "  signifying  the  church,  here  in  both  senses  ;  the  church  de- 
vastated is  called  "a  curse,"  because  therein  are  evil  and  falsity; 
but  the  church  to  be  established  is  called  "a  blessing"  because 
therein  are  good  and  truth.     [20.]    In  David  : 

"  Salvation  unto  Jehovah,  Thy  blessing  upon  Thy  people  "  {Psalm  lii.  8). 

"The  blessing  of  Jehovah  upon  His  people"  signifies  influx  and 
reception  of  good  and  truth  ;  those  are  called  "people  of  Jeho- 
vah" who  are  in  spiritual  good   (see  above,  n.  331).     [21.]    In 


644  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINF.D. 

Moses : 

"I  will  make  thee  into  a  great  nation,  and  I  will  bless  thee that  thou 

mayest  become  a  blessing.  And  I  will  bless  them  that  bless  thee 
and  curse  them  that  curse  thee ;  and  in  thee  shall  all  the  families 
of  the  earth  be  blessed"  i^Gen.  xii.  2,  3). 

In  the  same, 

"In  him  there  shall  be  blessing  for  all  the  nations  of  the  earth"  {Gen. 
xviii.  18). 

These  things  are  said  of  Abraham,  and  "  Abraham  "  means  in  the 
highest  sense  the  Lord,  and  in  a  relative  sense  the  Lord's  celes- 
tial kingdom  and  the  celestial  church.  This  makes  clear  what  is 
signified  by  "  I  will  make  thee  into  a  great  nation,  and  I  will  bless 
thee,  that  thou  mayest  become  a  blessing,"  namely,  that  therein 
shall  be  Divine  good  and  Divine  truth  ;  "  great  nation  "  being 
predicated  of  Divine  good  (see  above,  n.  331),  and  "blessing" 
of  Divine  truth.  "  I  will  bless  them  that  bless  ihee  [and  curse 
them  that  curse  thee],"  signifies  that  those  who  receive  will  have 
Divine  truth,  and  those  who  do  not  receive  will  have  falsity  of  evil. 
"  In  thee  shall  all  the  families  of  the  earth  be  blessed,"  and  "  in  him 
there  shall  be  blessing  for  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  "  signifies 
that  from  reception  of  Divine  truth  and  Divine  good  they  will 
have  heaven  and  eternal  happiness;  "families  of  the  earth  "  signi- 
fy those  who  are  in  truths  from  good,  "families"  meaning  truths, 
and  "nations"  goods;  "blessing"  signifying  that  from  these 
they  will  have  heaven  and  eternal  happiness.  [22.]  There  is 
a  like  signification  in  the  blessing  of  Israel  and  Jacob,  in  the 
same, 

"  Blessed  be  every  one  that  blesseth  thee,  and  cursed  be  every  one  that 
curseth  thee  "  {Num.  xxiv.  9). 

And  in  the  same, 

"Thy  seed  shall  be  as  the  dust  of  the  earth,  and  shall  spread  itself  to- 
•   wards  the  west,  and  towards  the  east,  and  towards  the  north,  and 
towards  the  south ;  and  in  thee  and  in  thy  seed  shall  all  the  fami- 
lies of  the  earth  be  blessed"  {Gen.  xxviii.  14). 

"Israel"  and  "Jacob"  also  mean  in  the  highest  sense  the  Lord, 
and  in  a  relative  sense  the  Lord's  spiritual  kingdom  and  the  spir- 
itual church  ;  "  Israel "  that  church  internal,  "Jacob  "  that  church 
external.  The  "seed  that  shall  be  as  the  dust  of  the  earth,  and 
that  shall  spread  itself  towards  the  west,  the  east,  the  north,  and 
the  south,"  signifies  Divine  truth  going  forth  from  the  Lord  and 
received  by  those  who  are  of  that  church  ;  consequent  fructifi- 
cation of  good  is  signified  by  "it  shall  spread  itself  towards  the 
west  and  the  east,"  and  consequent  multiplication  of  truth  is  sig- 


CHAP,   v.,   VERSE    12. — N.    34o[fl^].  645 

nified  by  "  it  shall  spread  itself  towards  the  north  and  the  south." 

(That  these  quarters   have  such  significations,  see  Heaven  atid  Hell,  n.  141-153.) 

[23.]  That  the  Lord  blessed  the  bread,  wine,  and  fishes  that 
He  gave  to  the  disciples  and  to  the  people 

{Afatt.  xiv.  15,  19,  21,  22  ;  xv.  32,  36 ;  xxvi.  26,  27 ;  Mark  vi.  41  ;  viii.  6, 
7  ;  xiv.  22,  23  ;  Luke  ix.  16 ;  xxii.  19 ;  xxiv.  30), 

signified  communication  of  His  Divine,  and  thus  conjundion 
with  them  by  means  of  goods  and  truths,  which  are  signified  by 
"bread  and  wine,"  and  also  by  "fishes ;"  "bread  and  wine"  sig- 
nifying goods  and  truths  in  the  spiritual  man,  and  "fishes" 
goods  and  truths  in  the  natural.     [24.]    In  Isaiah: 

"  He  shall  call  His  servants  by  another  name  ;  he  that  blesseth  himself  in 
the  earth  shall  bless  himself  in  the  God  of  truth  ;  and  he  that 
sweareth  in  the  earth  shall  swear  by  the  God  of  truth;  because 
the  former  distresses  shall  be  forgotten  "  (Ixv.  15,  16). 

"  To  bless  oneself"  signifies  to  instruct  oneself  in  Divine  truths, 
and  to  apply  them  to  life,  and  "to  swear"  signifies  to  instrud 
oneself  in  Divine  goods  and  to  apply  them  to  life.  "To  swear" 
has  this  signification,  because  an  oath  in  an  internal  sense  signifies 
confirmation  in  oneself  and  convi6tion  that  a  thing  is  so,  and  this 
is  effe6led  from  good  by  means  of  truths  ;  from  no  other  ground 
than  good  are  truths  with  man  established  and  proved.  Here 
a  new  church  is  treated  of;  and  "to  call  by  another  name"  signi- 
fies its  quality  in  respect  to  truth  and  good.  [25.]  In  yere- 
*niah  : 

"  Swear  by  the  living  Jehovah,  in  truth,  in  judgment,  and  in  right- 
eousness ;  the  nations  shall  bless  themselves  in  Him,  and  in  Him 
shall  they  glory  "  (iv.  2). 

Here  "to  swear"  and  "to  bless  themselves"  have  the  same  sig- 
nifition  as  above,  the  "  nations  "  that  shall  bless  themselves  in  Je- 
hovah signifying  those  who  are  in  good.  [26.]  "To  bless,"  in 
the  contrary  sense,  signifies  to  love  what  is  evil  and  false,  and 
to  be  imbued  with  it ;  as  in  Isaiah: 

"  He  that  slayeth  an  ox  smiteth  a  man  ;. . .  .he  that  offereth  frankincense 
blesseth  vanity ;  yea,  they  have  chosen  these  things  in  their  ways  " 
Gxvi.  3). 

"To  slay  (or  sacrifice)  an  ox,"  and  "to  smite  a  man,"  signify 
to  worship  God  in  externals,  and  yet  to  reje6l  all  truth.  "  To 
sacrifice  an  o.x"  signifies  worship  from  those  things  that  repre- 
sented natural  good,  for  "  ox  "  means  natural  good  ;  "  and  to  smite 
a  man"  signifies  to  reje6l  and  deny  truth,  "man"  in  the  Word 
meaning  truth;  "to  offer  frankincense"  and  "to  bless  vanity  " 
signifies  to  worship  God  from  such  things  us  :eprci:ented  spiritual' 


646  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

good,  and  yet  to  love  evil  and  falsity  and  to  be  imbued  with 
them,  an  "offering  of  frankincense"  meaning  worship  from  spir- 
itual good,  and  "vanity"  evil  and  falsity  of  evil. 

VERSE  13. 

^^1«  "And  every  created  thing  that  is  in  heauen,  and  on  the  earth,  and  under  the 
«arth,  and  those  that  are  in  the  sea,  and  all  that  are  in  them,  heard  I  saying,  Unto  Him 
that  sitteth  upon  the  throne  and  unto  the  Lamb,  be  the  blessing  and  the  honor  and  the  glory 
and  the  strength  unto  the  ages  of  the  ages." 

13.  "And  every  created  thing  that  is  in  heaven,  and  on  the  earth,  and  under 
the  earth,  and  those  that  are  in  the  sea,  and  all  that  are  in  them, 
heard  I  saying,"  signifies  acknowledgment  and  consequent  glorification 
of  the  Lord  by  the  angels  that  are  in  the  lowest  parts  of  heaven  [n.  342]  ; 
"Unto  Him  that  sitteth  upon  the  throne  and  unto  the  Lamb"  signifies 
the  Lord  in  respedl  to  Divine  good  and  Divine  truth  [n.  343]  ;  "bless- 
ing" signifies  acknowledgment,  glorification,  and  thanksgiving  that 
all  good  and  truth,  and  thus  heaven  a7id  eternal  happiness,  are  for 
those  who  receive  [n.  344]  ;  "and  the  honor  and  the  glory  "  signifies  that 
to  Him  alone  belongs  every  Divine  good  and  Divitte  truth,  and,  therefore, 
every  good  of  love  and  truth  of  faith,  from  which  is  all  the  wisdom  and 
intelligence  that  angels  and  men  have  [n,  345]  ;  "and  the  strength  unto 
the  ages  of  the  ages"  signifies  that  to  Him  alone  belongs  omnipotence  to 
eternity  [n.  346]. 

342[€«].  [  Verse  13.]  "And  every  created  thing  that  is  in  heaven, 
and  on  the  earth,  and  under  the  earth,  and  those  that  are  in  the 
sea,  and  all  that  are  in  them,  heard  I  saying,"  signifies  acknow- 
ledgment and  coiisequent  glorification  of  the  Lord  by  the  angels 
that  are  in  the  lowest  parts  of  heaven. — This  is  evident  from  the 
signification  of  "  every  created  thing,"  as  meaning  all  who  are 
reformed.  That  "to  be  created"  signifies  to  be  reformed  and 
regenerated,  see  above  (n.  294[a/])  ;  therefore  "created  thing" 
signifies  what  is  reformed  and  regenerated  ;  but  in  reference  to 
angels,  of  whom  these  things  are  said,  it  signifies  those  who  were 
reformed  in  the  world,  that  is,  created  anew,  for  all  such  are  in 
heaven.  "Created  thing"  here  has  the  same  meaning  as  "crea- 
ture "  in  Mark : 

Jesus  said  to  the  disciples,  "  Going  into  all  the  world,  preach  ye  the  gos- 
pel to  every  creature"  (xvi.  15)  ; 

where  "  every  creature "  means  all  who  receive  the  gospel  and 
can  be  reformed  by  it;  the  rest  are  not  meant  by  "creatures," 
because  they  do  not  receive,  but  hear  and  reject.  [2.]  From  this 
the  nature  of  the  Word  in  the  sense  of  the  letter  can  be  seen, 
namely,  why  the  term  "creature"  is  used,  and  why  it  is  said 
"  every  created  thing  that  is  in  heaven,  and  on  the  earth,  and  un- 
der the  earth,  and  those  that  are  in  the  sea,  and  all  that  are  in 
them."  He  who  docs  not  know  that  the  sense  of  the  letter  is 
made  up  of  such  things  as  appear  before  the  eyes,  and  that  these 


CHAP,   v.,   VERSE    13. — N.    342[^].  647 

signify  spiritual  things,  may  easily  be  led  to  believe  that  "every 
created  thing  that  is  in  heaven,  and  on  the  earth,  and  under  the 
earth,  and  those  that  are  in  the  sea,  and  all  that  are  in  them," 
mean  the  birds  that  fly  in  the  sky,  the  beasts  that  walk  on 
the  earth,  and  the  fishes  that  are  in  the  sea ;  and  the  more  be- 
cause in  various  other  passages  in  the  Word,  like  things  are  said 
of  "the  birds  of  heaven,"  the  "beasts  of  the  earth,"  and  also  of 
"whales"  and  "fishes" 

(as  Ezek.  xxxix.  17  ;  Psalm  cxlviii.  7  ;  Job  xii.  7,  8 ;  Apoc.  xix.  17 ;  and 

elsewhere). 

Still  those  whose  minds  can  be  somewhat  raised  above  the  sense 
of  the  letter  instantly  perceive  by  interior  sight  that  these  things 
mean  angels  and  spirits  who  are  in  heaven  and  under  heaven, 
and  that  it  was  these  whom  John  heard  when  he  was  in  the 
spirit  ;  for  it  is  said,  "  heard  I  saying.  Unto  Him  that  sitteth  upon 
the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb,  be  the  blessing,  and  the  honor,  and 
the  glory,  and  the  strength,  unto  the  ages  of  the  ages  ;"  from 
which  it  can  be  seen  that  "  every  created  thing  "  therein  means 
the  angels  that  are  in  the  lowest  parts  of  heaven  ;  moreover,  this 
follows  from  the  fa6l  that  the  preceding  verses  treat  of  the  angels 
of  the  higher  heavens  and  of  the  angels  of  the  lower  heavens,  that 
they  acknowledged  and  glorified  the  Lord  (see  above,  n.  322,  335). 
[3.]  It  shall  now  be  explained  who  are  meant  by  those  "  in  heav- 
en," who  by  those  "  on  the  earth  and  under  the  earth,"  and  who 
by  those  "  in  the  sea."  All  these  mean  those  who  are  in  the  lowest 
parts  of  heaven,  those  "  in  heaven  "  meaning  the  higher  there,  those 
"  on  the  earth  and  under  the  earth  "  the  lower  there,  and  those 
"  in  the  sea  "  the  lowest  there.  There  are  three  heavens,  and  each 
heaven  is  divided  into  three  degrees  ;  the  same  is  true  of  the 
angels  who  are  in  them  ;  consequently  in  each  heaven  there  are 
higher,  middle,  and  lower  angels  ;  these  three  degrees  of  the  low- 
est heaven  are  meant  by  those  "  in  heaven,"  those  "on  the  earth," 

and  those  "  in  the  sea."  (Respedling  this  division  of  the  heavens  and  of  each 
heaven,  see  A.C.,  n.  4938,  4939,  9992,  10005.  10017, 10068  ;  and  respecSling  the  lowest 
degree,  n.  3293,  3294,  3793,  457°.  5118,  5126,  5497,  5649,  9216  ;  and  in  Heaven  and 
Hell,  n.  29-40.) 

[6.]  It  should  be  known,  that  in  the  spiritual  world,  where 
spirits  and  angels  are,  all  things  have  the  same  appearance  as  in 
the  natural  world  where  men  are,  namely,  there  are  mountains, 
hills,  lands,  and  seas  (see  above,  n.  304[a]).  The  angels  who  are 
in  the  third  or  inmost  heaven  dwell  upon  mountains,  those  who 
ai-e  in  the  second  or  middle  heaven  dw^ell  upon  hills,  and  those 
who  are  in  the  first  or  lowest  heaven  dwell  upon  the  earth  and  un- 


64S  APOCALYPSE    EXPI.AINEIJ. 

(ler  the  earth,  and  in  the  seas.  But  the  seas  in  which  the  lowest  of 
that  heaven  dwell  are  not  like  the  seas  in  which  the  evil  dwell ; 
their  waters  are  different.  The  waters  of  the  seas  in  which  the 
well-disposed  in  the  lowest  hea\en  dwell  are  rare  and  pure  ;  but 
the  waters  of  the  seas  in  which  the  evil  dwell  are  gross  and  im- 
pure ;  thus  they  are  entirely  different  seas.  [4.]  These  seas  I 
have  at  different  times  been  permitted  to  see,  and  to  converse  with 
those  who  are  in  them  ;  and  it  was  found  that  those  were  there 
who  had  been  in  the  world  wholly  sensual,  and  yet  well-disposed  ; 
and  because  they  were  sensual  they  were  unable  to  understand 
what  the  spiritual  is,  and  could  only  understand  what  the  natural 
is ;  nor  could  they  apprehend  the  Word  and  the  do6trine  of 
the  church  from  the  Word  except  sensually.  All  these  appear  to 
be  in  a  sea ;  but  those  who  are  in  it  do  not  seem  to  themselves 
to  be  in  a  sea,  but  in  an  atmosphere  like  that  in  which  they  lived 
while  in  the  world  ;  they  appear  to  be  in  a  sea  only  to  those 
who  are  above  them.  At  this  day  there  is  an  immense  number 
there,  because  so  many  at  this  day  are  sensual.  This  lowest  part 
of  heaven  corresponds  to  the  soles  of  the  feet.  This  is  the  reasoa 
that  seas  are  so  often  mentioned  in  the  Word,  and  also  fishes 
therein,  "seas"  there  signifving  the  generals  of  truth  which  belong 
to  the  natural  man,  and  "  fishes  "  sense  knowledges  {sdeiuifica  sen- 
s ltd li a), which,  are  the  lowest  things  of  the  natural  man,  consequently 
such  persons,  that  is,  those  who  are  in  these  knowledges,  are  sig- 
nified. (What  sense  things  and  what  sensual  men  are,  and  that  they  may  be  either 
good  or  evil,  see  Do£lrlne  of  the  New  yericsalem,  n.  50.)       From    thlS    It    Can 

be  known  what  is  meant  by  "every  created  thing  that  is  in 
heaven,  and  on  the  earth,  and  under  the  earth,  and  those  that  are 
in  the  sea,  and  all  that  are  in  them."  [5.]  Like  things  are  sig- 
nified in  the  following  passages  by  "  seas,"  and  by  the  things  that 
are  in  them,  which  are  called  "fishes"  and  "whales."    In  David  : 

"Let  heaven  and  earth  praise  Jehovah,  the  seas,  and  every  thing  that 
creepeth  therein.  For  God  will  save  Zion,  and  will  build  the  cities 
of  Judah  "  {Psalm  Ixix.  34,  35). 

It  is  said  also  "every  thing  that  creepeth  therein,"  meaning  those 
who  are  sensual.  "Zion,"  which  God  will  save,  and  "the  cities 
of  Judah,"  which  He  will  build,  mean  the  celestial  church  and  its 
do6lrine,  "  Zion  "  that  church,  and  "  cities  "  do6lrine.  There  is 
a  like  meaning  in  these  words  in  David : 

"  Praise  Jehovah  from  the  earth,  ye  whales  and  all  deeps  "(Psalm  cxlviii.  7)  \ 

"whales"  meaning  the  same.  For  this  reason  Egypt  is  called 
a  "whale"  {Ezek.  xxix.  3);  for  "Egypt"  signifies  the  knowing 
faculty  in  the  natural  man,  and  "whale"  knowing  in  general. 


CHAP,   v.,   VERSE    I3. — N.   342[i5].  649 

[6.]    These  things  have  a  like  signification  elsewhere  in  the  sanie, 

"Thou  madest  him  to  have  dominion  over  the  works  of  Thy  hands; 
thou  hast  put  all  things  under  his  feet ;  flock  and  all  herds,  yea, 
the  beasts  of  the  field,  the  bird  of  heaven,  and  the  fishes  of  the  sea  " 
(Psalm  viii.  6-8). 

This  treats  of  the  Lord,  and  His  Divine  power  over  heaven  and 
earth  ;  anti  "  the  flocks  and  the  herds,  the  beasts  of  the  field, 
the  bird  of  heaven,  and  the  fishes  of  the  sea,"  mean  men,  spirits, 
and  angels,  in  respe6l  to  spiritual  and  natural  things  pertaining 
to  them  ;  "fishes  of  the  sea"  meaning  those  who  are  in  the  low- 
est parts  of  heaven  (as  above).     In  yob  : 

"Ask,  I  pray,  the  beasts,  and  they  shall  teach  thee,  or  the  birds  of  heaven, 
and  they  shall  tell  thee,  or  the  shrub  of  the  earth,  and  it  shall 
teach  thee  ;  and  the  fishes  of  the  sea  shall  declare  unto  thee.  Who 
knoweth  not  by  all  these  that  the  hand  of  Jehovah  doeth  this  ?"  (xii. 
7-10.) 

[7.]    In  Ezekiel : 

The  angel  "  brought  me  back  unto  the  door  of  the  house ;  where  behold, 
waters  issued  out  from  under  the  threshold  of  the  house  towards 
the  east Then  he  said  unto  me,  These  waters  issue  out  to- 
ward the  eastern  border,  and  go  down  into  the  plain,  and  come  to- 
wards the  sea  :  they  are  sent  forth  into  the  sea  that  the  waters 
may  be  healed ;  whence  it  cometh  to  pass  that  every  living  soul 
that  creepeth,  whithersoever  the  rivers  come,  shall  live  ;  whence  it 
cometh  that  there  are  exceeding  many  fish,  because  these  waters 
come  thither,  and  are  healed,  that  every  thing  may  live  whither  the 

river  cometh According  to  their  kind  shall  the  fish  be,  as 

the  fish  of  the  great  sea,  exceeding  many.  The  miry  places  thereof 
and  the  marshes  thereof  are  not  healed  ;  they  are  changed  into 
salt"  (xlvii.  I,  8- 11). 

"  The  waters  issuing  out  from  under  the  threshold  of  the  house 
towards  the  east"  signify  truths  from  a  heavenly  origin,  "waters" 
meaning  truths,  "the  east"  good  of  heavenly  love,  and  "house" 
heaven  and  the  church;  the  "plain"  into  which  the  waters  go 
down,  and  "the  sea"  into  which  they  come,  signify  the  outmosts 
of  heaven  and  the  church,  consequently  those  who  are  in  outmosts 
(of  whom  above),  namely,  who  are  in  knowledges  of  truth  only 
from  the  outmost  sense  of  the  Word,  and  apprehend  those  know- 
ledges naturally  and  sensually.  When  such  are  in  simple  good, 
they  receive  influx  out  of  the  higher  heavens,  whence  it  is  that 
they  also  receive  in  their  knowledges  what  is  spiritual,  and  thus 
some  spiritual  life.  This  is  meant  by  "the  waters  are  sent  forth 
into  the  sea,  that  the  waters  may  be  healed  ;  whence  it  cometh  to 
pass  that  every  living  soul  that  creepeth,  W'hithersoe\er  the  rivers 
come,  shall  live  ;"  likewise  by  these  words,  "  whence  it  cometh  that 
there  are  exceeding  many  fish,  because  these  waters  come  thither, 
and  are  healed."     But  those  who  are  such,  and  are  not  good, 


650  APOCALYPSE  EXPLAINED, 

are  meant  by  these  words,  "The  miry  places  thereof  and  the 
marshes  thereof  are  not  healed  ;  they  are  changed  into  salt ;"  "to 
change  into  salt"  signifying  not  to  receive  spiritual  life,  but  to 
remain  in  a  life  merely  natural,  which,  separate  from  spiritual  life, 
is  defiled  by  falsities  and  evils,  which  are  "miry  places"  and 
"marshes." 

[c]  [8.]  Like  things  are  signified  by  "sea,"  and  by  "fishes 
of  the  sea,"  in  Isaiah  : 

"  Behold,  at  My  rebuke  I  dry  up  the  sea,  I  make  the  rivers  into  a  desert ; 
their  fish  stinketh  because  there  is  no  water,  and  dieth  of  thirst" 
0.2). 

"Rebuke"  signifies  the  desolation  of  all  truth;  "sea"  signifies 
where  truth  is  in  its  outmost ;  "  water  "  signifies  truth  from  a  spir- 
itual origin;  "to  die  for  thirst"  signifies  desolation  from  lack  of 
that  truth;  "fishes  of  the  sea"  signify  those  who  are  in  the 
outmosts  of  truth,  in  whom  there  is  no  life  from  a  spiritual  origin. 
[9.]    "Fishes  of  the  sea"  have  a  like  signification  in  Ezekiel: 

"In  My  zeal,  in  the  fire  of  Mine  indignation  I  will  speak;. . .  .that  the 
fishes  of  the  sea,  and  the  bird  of  the  heavens,  and  the  beast  of  the 
field,  and  every  creeping  thing  that  creepeth  upon  the  earth  may 
tremble  before  Me  "  (xxxviii.  19,  20). 

In  Ho  sea : 

"  They  commit  robbery,  and  bloods  touch  bloods ;  therefore  the  land 
shall  mourn,  and  everyone  that  dwelleth  therein  shall  pine  away  ;  as 
to  the  beast  of  the  field,  and  as  to  the  bird  of  the  heavens,  yea,  the 
fishes  of  the  sea  shall  be  gathered  up"  (iv.  2,  3). 

And  in  Zephaniah  : 

-  "  In  consuming  I  will  consume  all  things  from  upon  the  faces  of  the  land ; 
...  1  will  consume  man  and  beast ;  I  will  consume  the  bird  of  the 
heavens,  and  the  fishes  of  the  sea  "  (i.  2,  3). 

"Man  and  beast"  when  mentioned  together  signify  the  interior 
and  exterior  affe(5lions  for  good  (see  A.c,  n.  7424,  7523,  7^72) ;  and 
"birds  of  the  heavens  and  fishes  of  the  sea"  signify  affections  for 
truth,  and  thoughts  spiritual  and  natural,  but  in  the  passages  here 
cited,  that  these  are  about  to  perish.  [10.]  This  significance  of 
"sea"  and  "fishes"  comes  from  the  appearance  in  the  spiritual 
world ;  all  societies  there  appear  surrounded  by  an  atmosphere 
corresponding  to  their  aiife<5lions  and  thoughts  ;  those  in  the  third 
heaven  appear  in  an  atmosphere  pure  as  the  ethereal  atmo- 
sphere ;  those  in  the  second  heaven  appear  in  an  atmosphere  less 
pure,  like  the  aerial ;  while  the  societies  in  the  lowest  heaven  ap- 
pear surrounded  hy  a  watery  atmosphere,  as  it  were ;  but  those  in 
the  hells  appear  surrounded  by  gross  and  impure  atmospheres. 


CHAP,    v.,  VKRSE    13. — N.  342[^j.  65I 

some  of  them  as  if  in  black  waters,  and  others  in  other  ways. 
It  is  the  affe6lions  and  the  thoughts  therefrom  that  produce  these 
appearances  around  them ;  for  spheres  are  exhaled  from  all,  and 
these  spheres  are  changed  into  such  appearances.  (Of  these  spheres, 
see  A.c,  n.  2489,  4464,  5179,  7454,  8630.)  It  is  also  from  the  appearance 
in  the  spiritual  world  that  those  who  are  in  spiritual  afife6lion  and  in 
thought  therefrom  are  signified  by  "birds  of  heaven,"  and  those 
who  are  in  natural  affedlion  and  in  thought  therefrom  by  "fishes  ;" 
for  both  birds  and  fishes  appear  there,  birds  over  the  lands,  and 
fishes  in  the  seas.  The  afifedlions  and  consequent  thoughts  of 
those  who  are  there  are  what  so  appear ;  this  is  known  to  all  who 
are  in  that  world ;  and  both  the  birds  and  the  fishes  have  been 
often  seen  by  me :  this  appearance  is  from  correspondence.  From 
this  it  can  be  seen  why  "seas"  signify  the  generals  of  truth,  and 
"whales"  and  "fishes"  the  afire6lions  and  thoughts  of  those  who 
are  in  the  generals  of  truth.  That  "seas"  signify  the  generals  of 
truth  has  been  shown  above  (n.  275).  [II.]  The  charadler  of 
those  in  the  spiritual  world  who  dwell  in  that  watery  atmosphere 
which  is  meant  by  "seas,"  I  will  illustrate  by  a  single  example. 
When  such  read  these  words  in  David, 

"  Everything  that  Jehovah  willeth  He  doeth,  in  heaven  and  earth,  in  the 
seas  and  all  deeps  "  (Psalm  cxxxv.  6), 

they  do  not  know  otherwise  than  that  "heaven"  means  the  heaven 
that  is  visible  before  our  eyes,  and  "earth"  the  habitable  earth,  and 
"seas"  and  "deeps"  the  seas  and  deeps,  thus  that  Jehovah  does 
in  these  whatsoever  he  wills ;  and  they  cannot  be  led  to  believe 
that  "heaven"  means  the  angelic  heaven;  "earth"  those  there 
who  are  below  ;  and  "seas"  and  "depths"  those  there  who  are  in 
the  lowest  parts.  Because  these  things  are  spiritual,  and  above 
the  sense  of  the  letter,  they  are  not  willing  and  are  scarcely  able 
to  perceive  them  because  they  see  all  things  naturally  and  sensu- 
ally. [12.]  For  this  reason,  from  these  words  in  the  Apoca- 
lypse, 

'I  saw  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth;   for  the  first  heaven  and  the 
first  earth  were  passed  away"  (xxi.  i), 

it  has  been  understood  heretofore  that  the  visible  heaven  and  the 
habitable  earth  were  to  perish,  and  that  a  new  heaven  and  a  new 
earth  were  to  appear.  That  "heaven"  here  means  the  heaven 
where  angels  are,  and  "earth"  means  the  church  where  men  are, 
and  that  these  are  to  become  new,  those  who  think  merely  natu- 
rally and  sensually  are  not  willing  to  admit,  and  therefore  do  not 


652  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

understand  ;  for  they  do  not  suffer  their  minds  to  be  raised  up 
out  of  natural  Hght  into  spiritual  light.  With  such  this  is  difficult, 
so  much  so  that  they  can  scarcely  bear  that  the  Word  should 
have  any  meaning  beyond  what  the  letter  in  its  own  sense  declares 
and  the  natural  man  apprehends.  Such  persons  are  not  unlike 
those  birds  that  see  and  sing  in  dark  places,  but  in  the  light  of  day 
blink  with  their  eyes  and  scarcely  see  at  all.  The  good  among 
such  are  like  these  birds,  and  also  like  flying  fishes ;  but  the  evil 
of  this  class  are  like  birds  of  night  and  owls,  which  altogether 
shun  the  light  of  day,  or  like  fishes  that  cannot  be  elevated  into 
the  air  without  loss  of  life.  The  reason  is  that  with  the  good  of 
this  class  the  internal  spiritual  man  receives  some  little  spiritual 
infiux  from  heaven,  consequently  some  perception  that  a  thing  is 
so  although  they  do  not  see  it ;  while  with  the  evil  of  this  class  the 
internal  spiritual  man  is  entirely  closed  up.  For  every  one  has 
an  internal  and  an  external  man,  or  a  spiritual  and  a  natural ;  the 
internal  or  spiritual  man  sees  by  the  light  of  heaven,  but  the  ex- 
ternal or  natural  man  sees  by  the  light  of  the  world. 

343«  "Unto  Him  that  siiteth  upon  the  throne,  and  unto  the 
Lamb,"  signifies  [the  Lord^  in  respe^  to  Divine  good  and  Divine 
truth. — This  is  evident  from  what  has  been  said  and  shown  above 
(n.  297),  namely,  that  "throne  "  signifies  heaven  ;  "  Him  that  sit- 
teth  upon  the  throne"  Divine  good  going  forth,  and  "the  Lamb" 
Divine  truth  going  forth,  both  of  these  filling  the  heavens  and  con- 
stituting them.  Because  Divine  good  going  forth  from  the  Lord 
as  a  sun  is  received  by  angels  in  His  celestial  kingdom,  and  Divine 
truth  by  angels  in  the  spiritual  kingdom,  two  are  mentioned, 
namely,  "  He  that  sitteth  upon  the  throne  "  and  "  the  Lamb ;"  but 
in  the  internal  sense,  the  two  mean  the  Divine  going  forth  from 
the  Lord's  Divine  Human,  which  is  Divine  good  united  to  Divine 
truth,  while  in  the  sense  of  the  letter  it  is  distinguished  into  two 
for  the  sake  of  reception.  The  Divine  that  constitutes  heaven  and 
gives  to  angels  and  men  love,  faith,  wisdom,  and  intelligence,  goes 
forth  not  immediately  from  the  Lord's  Divine  itself,  but  through 
His  Divine  Human,  and  this  Divine  that  goes  forth  is  the  Holy 
Spirit  (see  above,  n.  183).  [2.]  In  this  way  it  is  to  be  understood 
what  the  doftrine  of  the  church  teaches,  that  the  Son  goes  forth 
from  the  Father,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  through  the  Son,  also  that 
the  Lord's  Divine  and  His  Human  are  not  two,  but  a  single  per 
son  or  one  Christ ;  for  the  Lord's  Divine  is  that  which  assumed 
the  Human,  and  for  that  reason  He  called  it  His  Father;  thus 


CHAP,    v.,   VERSE    I  3.  —  N.   345.  653 

He  did  not  call  Father  another  Divine  which  is  at  this  day 
worshipped  as  His  Father  in  place  of  His  own  Divine.  And  the 
Divine  goino-  forth  is  what  is  called  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  Spirit  of 
God,  the  Spirit  of  Truth,  and  the  Paraclete  ;  since  this  is  the  holy 
of  the  Spirit,  or  the  holy  Divine  which  the  Spirit  speaks,  and  not 
another  Divine,  which  is  worshipped  as  the  third  person  of  the 
Divinity.  That  this  is  so  all  can  understand  who  are  in  any  light 
of  heaven.  And  yet  many  declare,  from  the  do6trine  of  the  Trinity 
that  was  given  by  Athanasius,  that  the  three  are  one.  Let  any 
one  examine  himself  when  He  says  with  the  mouth  that  God  is 
one,  whether  he  does  not  think  of  three,  when  yet  there  is  but  one 
God,  and  the  three  names  of  the  Divine  are  names  of  the  one 
God.  Athanasius,  because  he  did  not  understand  this,  believed 
the  three  names  to  be  three  Gods,  though  one  in  essence.  [3.] 
And  yet  they  cannot  be  said  to  be  one  in  essence  when  something 
is  attributed  to  one  and  not  to  another,  for  thus  the  essence  is 
divided ;  consequently  a  personal  name  is  given  to  each  essence. 
But  they  are  one  essence  when  the  three  are  names  of  one  person, 
namely,  the  Divine  itself,  called  the  Father;  the  Divine  Human, 
called  the  Son ;  and  the  Divine  going  forth  called  the  Holy  Spirit 

(see  Doilrine  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  n.  280-310).      These  things  have  been 

said  to  show  that  "He  that  sitteth  upon  the  throne,"  and  "the 
Lamb,"  do  not  mean  two  but  one,  namely,  the  Lord  in  respedl 
to  the  Divine  going  forth. 

344..  "Blessing  "  signifies  acknowledgment, glorification,  and 
ihanksgiving ,  that  all  good  ayid  truth,  and  thus  heaven  and  eter- 
nal happiyiess,  are  for  those  who  receive,  as  is  evident  from  what 
has  been  said  and  shown  above  (n.  340). 

343»  "And  the  honor  and  the  glory"  signifies  that  to  Him 
■alone  belofigs  every  Divine  good  and  Divine  truth,  and  therefore 
■every  good  of  love  and  truth  of  faith  that  angels  and  men  have. — 
This  is  evident  from  the  signification  of  "honor  and  glory,"  as 
meaning,  in  reference  to  the  Lord,  Divine  good  and  Divine  truth 
(see  above,  n,  288).  And  as  "honor  and  glory"  signify,  in  ref- 
erence to  the  Lord,  Divine  good  and  Divine  truth,  so  in  refer- 
ence to  man  they  signify  every  good  of  love  and  truth  of  faith, 
from  which  are  all  the  wisdom  and  intelligence  that  angels  and 
men  have.  These  things  were  said  by  those  who  are  in  tl>e  low- 
est parts  of  heaven,  who  know  this,  although  they  do  not  see  and 
perceive  it.  For  all  who  are  of  the  church  know,  because  it  is 
according  to  do6lrine,  that  every  good  and  truth  is  from  God  ;  and 
those  who  live  a  good  life  retain  and  believe  this  without  inves- 


654  APOCAI.Yl'SK    KX  PLAINED. 

tigating  liow  it  comes;  for  this  reason  these  are  in  heaven,  al- 
tlioiigh  in  its  lowest  part.  But  those  who  have  become  spiritual 
not  only  know  but  also  see  and  perceive  that  this  is  so ;  conse- 
quently these  are  in  the  higher  heavens.  When  such  come  into 
the  spiritual  world  they  see  truths  and  perceive  them  in  the  light 
of  heaven  ;  nor  do  they  admit  the  dogma  accepted  by  many  in  the 
world,  that  the  understanding  must  be  under  a  blind  obedience  to 
faith.  With  those  who  are  in  the  lowest  parts  of  heaven  it  is 
otherwise,  because  they  do  not  see  and  perceive  ;  these  remain  in 
that  dogma,  but  still  tliey  are  instructed,  and  when  instru6ted 
they  know  truths. 

346.  "And  the  strength,  unto  the  ages  of  the  ages,"  signifies 
i/iaf  to  Hhn  alone  belongs  omnipotence  to  eternity. — This  is  evident 
from  the  signification  of  "strength,"  as  meaning,  in  reference  to  the 
Lord,  omnipotence  ;  and  as  the  Lord  has  omnipotence  from  Divine 
good  by  means  of  Divine  truth,  it  is  said,  "  the  honor  and  the  glory 
and  the  strength;"  for  "honor  and  glory"  signify  Divine  good 

and  Divine  truth.  (That  Divine  good  has  all  power  by  means  of  Divine  truth, 
see  Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  231,  232,  539;  and  above,  n.  209,  333.)     "  Strength" 

is  here  mentioned  last,  and  by  angels  of  the  lowest  heaven,  because 
"strength,"  in  reference  to  the  Lord,  is  predicated  of  Divine  power 
in  its  fulness,  and  it  is  in  its  fulness  in  outmosts.     (That  the  Divine  is 

in  its  fulness,  thus  in  its  power  in  outmosts,  see  A.C.,  n.  5897,  6451,  8603,  9828, 
9836,  10099,  10548  ;   and  in  Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  315.) 


VERSE  14. 

347*     "  '^'"'  '^^  /""''  animals  said,  Amen  ;  and  the  four-and-tuienty  elders  felt  down- 

and  worshipped  Him  that  liveth  unto  the  ages  of  the  ages." 

14.  "And  the  four  animals  said,  Amen,"  signifies  confirmation  from  the  Lord 
cut  of  the  inmost  heaven  [n.  348]  ;  "and  ttie  four  and  twenty  e/ders 
fell  down  and  worshipped  Him  that  liveth  unto  the  ages  of  the  ages" 

signifies  humiliation  and  acknowledgment  from  the  heart  of  all  who 
are  in  truths  from  good,  that  the  Lord  alone  lives,  and  that  from  Him 
alone  is  eternal  life  [n.  349]. 

348»  [  Verse  14]  "And  the  four  animals  said.  Amen,"  signifies 
confirmation  from  the  Lord  out  of  the  inmost  heaven. — This  is 
evident  from  the  signification  of  the  "  four  animals"  or  cherubim, 
as  meaning,  in  the  highest  sense,  the  Lord  in  respefl  to  providence 
and  guard  that  the  Lord  be  not  approached  except  through  the 
good  of  love  (of  which  see  above,  n.  152  at  the  end,  277)  ;  and 
in  a  relative  sense,  the  inmost  or  third  heaven  (n.  313M,  322); 
also  from  the  signification  of  "Amen,"  as  meaning  confirmation 
from  the  Divine,  and  truth   (respe6\ing  which  also  see  above,  n. 


CHAP,   v.,   VERSE    14. — -N.   349L^J-  655 

34,  238).  From  this  it  is  clear  that  "the  four  animals  said,  Amen," 
signifies  confirmation  fi-om  the  Lord  out  of  the  inmost  heaven. 
The  things  that  have  thus  far  been  said  by  the  angels  of  the  three 
heavens  were  confirmed  by  the  Lord,  because  everything  they 
said  was  from  the  Lord,  not  from  themselves  ;  for  it  was  acknow- 
ledgement of  His  Divine  in  the  Human,  glorification  on  that 
account,  and  thanksgiving  that  all  good  and  truth  and  therefore 
all  wisdom  and  intelligence  are  from  Him  ;  these  things  angels 
could  say,  not  from  themselves,  but  from  the  Lord  by  interior 
dictate  or  influx  ;  for  angels,  like  men,  cannot  from  themselves 
even  name  the  Lord,  consequently  they  cannot  from  themselves 
acknowledge  and  glorify  Him ;  for  this  reason  the  things  they 
said  were  confirmed  from  the  Lord  by  "Amen,"  which  signifies 
the  truth  of  faith,  and  faith  itself.  Moreover,  it  is  according  to 
Divine  order  for  the  Lord  to  confirm  the  truths  that  an  angel  or  a 
man  speaks  as  if  from  himself,  though  not  from  himself;  these 
He  confirms  in  their  hearts  by  an  assurance  not  ascending  mani- 
festly into  their  thought,  yet  by  a  full  acquiescence  of  mind  pro- 
ceeding from  internal  affe6lion,  which  is  from  peace  and  its  delight. 
This  is  the  confirmation  that  is  meant  in  the  genuine  internal  sense 
by  this  announcement  heard  by  John. 

349['*]«  "^f^d  the  four-and-tweniy  elders  fell  down  and  wor- 
shipped Him  that  liveth  unto  the  ages  of  the  ages  "  signifies  /w- 
viiliation  and  acknowledgme7it  from  the  heart  of  all  7vho  are  in 
truths  from  good,  that  the  Lord  alone  lives,  and  that  from  Him 
alone  is  eternal  life. — This  is  evident  from  the  signification  of 
"four-and- twenty  elders,"  as  meaning  all  who  are  in  truths  from 
good  (of  which  above,  n.  270)  ;  from  the  signification  of  falling 
down  and  worshipping,  as  meaning  humiliation  and  acknowledg- 
ment from  the  heart  that  every  good  and  truth  that  has  life  in  it- 
self is  from  the  Lord  (of  which  see  above,  n.  290,  291)  ;  and  from 
the  signification  of  "  Him  that  liveth,"  as  meaning,  in  reference  to- 
the  Lord,  that  He  alone  lives,  and  that  from  Him  is  eternal  life  (of 
which  also  above,  n.  82,  84,  186M,  289,  291).  [2.]  Since  it  is  at 
this  day  believed  in  the  world  that  the  life  that  each  one  has  was. 
given  and  implanted,  and  is  thus  one's  own,  and  does  not  flow  in 
continuously,  I  desire  to  say  something  respe61:ing  it.  The  opinion 
that  life  is  in  man  in  such  a  way  as  to  be  his  own  is  merely  an 
appearance  that  springs  from  the  unceasing  presence  of  the  Lord, 
and  from  His  Divine  Love,  in  that  he  wills  to  be  conjoined  to  man , 
to  be  in  him,  and  to  impart  to  him  His  life,  for  such  is  the  Dwine 
love ;  and  because  this  is  unceasing  and  continuous  man  supposes. 


656  APOCAI.YPSr:    i:XPl.AINED. 

that  life  is  in  him  to  be  his  own  ;  yet  it  is  known  that  there  is  not 
a  good  or  a  truth  in  man,  but  that  they  come  from  above,  thus  that 
they  flow  in.  It  is  the  same  with  love  and  faith  ;  for  everything:  of 
man's  love  is  from  good,  and  everything  of  his  faith  is  from  truth  ; 
for  what  a  man  loves  is  good  to  him,  and  what  he  believes  is  truth 
to  him.  This  makes  clear  in  the  first  place  that  no  good  and  no 
truth,  so  neither  love  nor  faith,  is  in  man,  but  that  they  flow  in 
from  the  Lord.  Life  itself  is  in  good  and  truth,  and  nowhere  else. 
The  receptacle  of  the  good  of  love  with  man  is  the  will,  and  the 
receptacle  of  the  truth  of  faith  with  him  is  the  understanding ;  and 
to  will  good  or  to  believe  truth  does  not  belong  to  man.  These 
are  the  two  faculties  in  which  is  the  whole  life  of  man  ;  outside  of 
these  there  is  no  life.  This  also  makes  clear  that  the  life  of  these 
faculties,  and  accordingly  the  life  of  the  whole  man,  is  not  in  man 
but  flows  in.  It  is  also  by  influx  that  evil  and  falsity,  that  is,  the 
will  and  love  of  evil  and  the  understanding  and  faith  of  falsit}-, 
are  with  man ;  but  this  influx  is  from  hell.  For  man  is  kept  in 
the  freedom  of  choosing,  that  is,  of  receiving  good  and  truth  from 
the  Lord  or  of  receiving  evil  and  falsity  from  hell,  and  man  is 
kept  in  this  for  the  sake  of  reformation,  for  he  is  kept  between 
heaven  and  hell,  and  therefore  in  spiritual  equilibrium,  which  is 
freedom.  Neither  is  this  freedom  itself  in  the  man,  but  it  is  to- 
gether with  the  life  that  flows  in.  (On  Mans  Freedom  and  its  origin,  see 
Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  293,  537,  540,  541,  546,  589-596,  597-603  ;  and  in  the  Doflrine 

of  the  New  Jerusalem,  n.  141-147.)  [3.]  Those  also  who  are  in  hell  live 
by  influx  of  life  from  the  Lord,  for  good  and  truth  in  like  manner 
flow  into  them  ;  but  the  good  they  turn  into  evil,  and  the  truth 
into  falsity  ;  and  this  takes  place  because  they  have  inverted  their 
interior  recipient  forms  by  a  life  of  evil,  and  all  influx  is  varied  ac- 
cording to  forms.  It  is  the  same  as  when  man's  thought  and  will 
a(5t  upon  members  distorted  from  birth,  or  upon  injured  organs 
of  sensation ;  and  as  when  the  light  of  heaven  flows  into  obje6ls 
that  vary  in  their  colors,  and  as  when  the  heat  of  heaven  flows 
into  the  same,  which  vary  in  their  odors  according  to  their  interior 
receptive  forms.  But  it  should  be  known  that  the  life  itself  is  not 
changed  and  varied,  but  the  life  produces  an  appearance  of  the 
recipient  form  by  which  and  from  which  the  life  is  transmitted ; 
much  as  by  the  same  light  different  persons  appear  in  a  mirror 
each  such  as  he  is.  [4.]  Moreover,  the  senses  of  man,  namely, 
sight,  hearing,  smell,  taste,  and  touch,  are  none  of  them  in  man, 
but  are  excited  and  produced  from  influx  ;  in  man  there  are  only 
the  organic  recipient  forms ;  in  these  there  is  no  sense  until  what 


CHAP,    v.,   VKKSE    I4. — N.   349[<5].  657 

is  adapted  thereto  from  without  flows  in.  The  same  is  true  of  the 
internal  organs  of  sensation  which  belong  to  thought  and  affec- 
tion and  receive  influx  from  the  spiritual  world,  as  of  the  external 
organs  of  sensation  wliich  receive  influx  from  the  natural  world. 
That  there  is  one  only  fountain  of  life,  and  that  all  life  is  therefrom 
and  flows  in  unceasingly,  is  well  known  in  heaven,  and  is  never 
called  in  question  by  any  angel  in  the  higher  heavens,  for  these  per- 
ceive the  influx  itself  That  all  lives  are  streams,  as  it  were,  from 
the  only  and  unfailing  fountain  of  life,  has  been  rendered  evident 
to  me  also  from  much  experience,  and  seen  in  the  spiritual  world 
in  the  case  of  those  who  believed  that  they  lived  from  themselves 
and  would  not  believe  that  they  lived  from  the  Lord.  When  in- 
flux into  the  thought  was  in  part  withheld  from  these  they  lay  as 
if  deprived  of  life,  but  as  soon  as  the  influx  reached  them,  they  as 
it  were  revived  from  death ;  and  then  they  confessed  that  the  life 
in  them  is  not  theirs,  but  flows  into  them  unceasingly,  and  that 
men,  spirits,  and  angels  are  only  forms  receptive  of  life.  [5.]  That 
this  is  so  the  wise  there  conclude  from  this  :  that  nothing  can  have 
existence  and  subsistence  from  itself  but  only  from  what  is  prior 
to  itself,  so  neither  can  what  is  prior  have  existence  and  subsist- 
ence from  itself  but  only  in  coime6led  order  from  a  First ;  and 
thus  life  itself,  regarded  it  itself,  is  only  from  Him  who  alone  is 
Life  in  Himself.  From  this,  moreover,  they  know,  and  from  spir- 
itual thought  perceive,  that  every  thing,  that  it  may  be  anything, 
must  be  in  a  conne6tion  with  a  First,  and  that  what  it  is  in  this 
conne6lion,  such  it  is. 

[ft.]  From  all  this  it  is  clear  how  foolishly  those  think  who 
find  the  origin  of  life  in  nature,  and  believe  that  man  learns  to 
think  by  an  influx  of  interior  nature  and  its  order,  and  not  from 
God,  who  is  the  very  Esse  of  life,  and  from  whom  is  all  the  order 
of  both  worlds,  the  natural  and  the  spiritual,  in  accordance  with 
which  life  flows  in,  life  eternal  into  those  who  can  be  disposed  to 
receive  life  according  to  Divine  order,  but  the  opposite  life,  which 
is  called  spiritual  death,  into  those  who  cannot  be  so  disposed,  thus 
who  live  contrary  to  Divine  order.  The  Divine  good  that  goes 
forth  from  the  Lord  is  that  from  which  order  comes,  and  Divine 

truths    are    the    laws    of    order    (as  may  he  seen   in   The  Doarine  of  the 

New  Jerusalem,  n.  279).  [6.]  Ever\'  one  should  guard  against  the 
belief  that  the  Divine  life  with  any  one,  even  with  the  evil  and 
in  hell,  is  changed  ;  for,  as  was  said  above,  the  life  itself  is  not 
changed  or  varied,  but  the  life  produces  an  appearance  of 
the  recipient  form,  by  which  and  from  which  the  life  is  trans- 
mitted ;    much  as  one  appears  in  a  mirror  as  the  light  presents 


658  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

him,  the  light  remaining  unchanged,  and  simply  making  the 
form  visible ;  just  as  the  same  life  presents  itself  to  be  perceived 
according  to  the  form  of  the  bodily  organ,  thus  after  one  manner 
in  the  eye,  after  another  manner  in  the  hearing,  and  otherwise  in 
the  smell,  taste,  and  touch.  The  belief  that  life  is  varied  and 
changed  is  from  an  appearance,  which  is  a  fallacy  like  the  fallacy 
from  the  appearance  that  influx  is  physical,  when  in  facl  influx 

IS  spiritual.  (But  on  this  subjedl  see  further  in  Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  9 ;  to 
which  may  be  added  what  is  cited  from  the  Arcana  Caelestia,  respedting  Influx 
of  Life,  in  The  Doflrine  of  the  New  yerusalem,  n.  277,  278  ;  and  on  The  Influx  of 
Life  with  Animals,  in  A.C.,  n.  5850,  6211  ;  and  in  Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  39,  108, 
110,  435,  567;    likewise  in  Last  Judgment,  n.  25.)      [7.]    These  things  have 

been  said  to  make  known  that  there  is  one  only  life,  and  that 
whatever  things  live,  live  from  that  life.  It  shall  now  be  shown 
that  the  Lord  is  that  Life  itself,  that  is,  that  He  alone  lives,  since 
this  is  what  is  signified  by  "  Him  that  liveth  unto  the  ages  of  the 
ages."  That  there  is  one  only  Divine,  and  that  is  not  to  be 
divided  into  three  persons  as  the  faith  of  Athanasius  teaches,  can 
be  seen  from  what  has  been  frequently  said  above,  and  especially 
from  what  will  be  said  particularly  on  this  subjedl  at  the  end  of 
this  work.  And  as  the  Lord's  Divine,  which  is  the  one  only 
Divine,  took  on  a  Human,  and  made  that  also  Divine,  both  of 
these  are  the  Life  from  which  all  live.  That  this  is  so  may  be 
known  from  the  words  of  the  Lord  Himself,  in  the  following 
passages.     In  yohn: 

"  As  the  Father  raiseth  the  dead  and  maketh  them  live,  so  also  the  Son 

maketh  whom  He  will  to  live As  the  Father  hath  life  in 

Himself,  so  gave  He  to  the  Son  to  have  life  in  Himself"  (v.  21, 
26). 

"Father"  here  means  the  Lord's  very  Divine,  which  took  on  the 
Human,  for  this  Divine  was  in  Him  from  conception,  and  be- 
cause He  was  conceived  from  this,  He  called  it,  and  no  other, 
"Father."  The  "Son"  means  the  Lord's  Divine  Human:  that 
this,  too,  is  life  itself,  the  Lord  teaches  in  express  words,  saying,  "as 
the  Father  maketh  to  live,  the  Son  also  maketh  whom  He  will 
to  live ;"  and  "  as  the  Father  hath  life  in  Himself,  so  gave  He  to 
the  Son  to  have  life  in  Himself"  "To  have  life  in  Himself"  is  to 
be  Life  itself;  no  others  are  life,  but  they  have  life  from  that  Life. 
[8.]    In  the  same, 

"  I  am  the  Way,  the  Truth,  and  the  Life  :  no  one  cometh  unto  the  Fa- 
ther but  through  Me  "  (xiv.  6). 

"  I  am  the  Way,  the  Truth,  and  the  Life,"  was  said  of  the  Lord's 
Human  ;  for  He  also  says,  "no  one  comes  unto  the  Father  but 


CHAP,  v.,  VERSE   I4. — N.  349[<5].  659 

through  Me,"  His  "Father"  being  the  Divine  in  Him,  which  was 
His  Divine.  This  makes  clear  that  the  Lord  also,  in  respe6t  to 
His  Human,  is  Life,  consequently  that  His  Human  also  is  Divine. 
[9.]    In  the  same, 

Jesus  said,  "  I  am  the  Resurrecflion  and  the  Life ;  he  that  believeth  in 
Me,  though  he  die  yet  shall  he  live.  Every  one  that  liveth  and 
believeth  in  Me  shall  not  die  forever"  (xi.  25,  26). 

This,  too,  the  Lord  said  of  His  Human ;  and  as  He  is  Life,  and 
all  have  life  from  Him,  and  those  who  believe  in  Him  have  life 
eternal,  He  says  that  He  is  "the  Resurrection  and  the  Life,"  and 
"he  that  believeth  in  Me  shall  not  die  forever."  "To  believe"  in 
the  Lord  signifies  to  be  conjoined  to  Him  in  love  and  faith  ;  and 
"not  to  die  "  signifies  not  to  die  spiritually,  that  is,  not  to  be  damned, 
for  the  life  of  the  damned  is  called  "death."     [lO.]    In  the  same, 

"In  the  beginning  was  the  Word,  and  the  Word  was  with  God,  and  the 

Word  was  God In  Him  was  life  ;  and  the  life  was  the  light 

of  men And  the  Word  became  flesh,  and  dwelt  among  us  " 

(i.  I,  4,  14). 

It  is  known  that  "the  Word"  means  the  Lord;  His  Human  is 
evidently  the  Word,  for  it  is  said,  "the  Word  became  flesh,  and 
dwelt  among  us ;"  and  that  His  Human  was  equally  Divine  with 
the  Divine  itself  that  took  on  the  Human  is  evident  from  this,  that 
a  distin<5lion  is  made  between  them,  and  that  each  is  called  God, 
for  it  is  said,  "  the  Word  was  with  God,  and  the  Word  was  God," 
and  "in  Him  was  life."  That  all  live  from  Him  is  meant  by  "  the 
life  was  the  light  of  men."  "The  light  of  men"  is  the  life  of  their 
thought  and  understanding ;  for  the  Divine  going  forth,  which  is 
particularly  meant  by  "the  Word,"  appears  in  heaven  as  the  light 
which  enables  angels  not  only  to  see,  but  also  to  think  and  under- 
stand, and  to  be  wise  according  to  its  reception  (see  Heaven  and  Hell, 
n.  126-140).  This  light  going  forth  from  the  Lord  is  life  itself,  which 
not  only  enlightens  the  understanding,  as  the  sun  of  the  world 
does  the  eye,  but  also  vivifies  it  according  to  reception  ;  and  when 
this  light  is  received  in  the  life,  it  is  called  "the  light  of  life;"  in 
the  same, 

"Jesus  said,  I  am  the  light  of  the  world  ;  he  that  followeth  me  shall  not 
walk  in  darkness,  but  shall  have  the  light  of  life"  (viii.  12). 

[II.]    He  is  also  called  "the  Bread  of  life"  in  the  same, 

"The  bread  of  God  is  He  that  cometh  down  out  of  heaven,  and  giveth 

life  unto  the  world I  am  the  bread  of  life"  (vi.  33,  35,  47, 

48,  51)- 


66o  APOCALYPSE   EXPLAINED. 

"The  Bread  of  God"  and  "the  Bread  of  life"  is  that  from  which 
all  have  life.  Since  the  life  that  is  called  intelligence  and  wisdom 
is  from  the  Lord,  it  follows  also  that  life  in  general  is  from  Him  ; 
for  the  most  particular  things  of  life,  which  make  its  perfedlion 
and  which  are  insinuated  into  man  according  to  receptivity,  all 
belong  to  the  general  life.  This  life  is  perfe6led  to  the  extent  that 
the  evils  into  which  man  is  born  are  removed  from  it. 

[c]  [12.]  That  those  who  are  conjoined  to  the  Lord  by  means 
of  love  and  faith  receive  eternal  life,  that  is,  the  life  of  heaven, 
which  is  salvation,  is  evident  from  the  following  passages.  In 
John: 

"  I  am  the  Vine,  and  ye  are  the  branches  ;  he  that  abideth  in  Me,  and  I  in 
him,  the  same  beareth  much  fruit ;  for  without  Me  ye  can  do  no- 
thing. If  a  man  abide  not  in  Me  he  is  cast  forth,  and  as  a  branch 
he  withereth"  (xv.  5,  6). 

In  the  same, 

"  Every  one  who  believeth  in  Me  ....  hath  eternal  life  "  (iii.  14-16) 

In  the  same, 

**  He  that  believeth  on  the  Son  hath  eternal  life  ;  but  he  that  believeth 
not  the  Son  shall  not  see  life,  but  the  anger  of  God  abideth  on 
him  "  (iii.  36). 

In  the  same, 

"  Whoever  believeth  on  the  Son  hath  eternal  life,  and  I  will  raise  him 

up  at  the  last  day  "  (vi.  40,  47,  48,  54). 

In  the  same, 

"The  sheep follow  Me  ;  and  I  give  unto  them  eternal  life  ;  and  they 

shall  not  perish  forever"  (x.  27,  28). 

And  in  the  same, 

"  Search  the  Scriptures, ....  they  bear  witness  of  Me  :  but  ye  will  not 
come  unto  Me,  that  ye  may  have  life  "  (v.  39,  40). 

"To  believe  in  God"  and  "to  believe  the  things  that  are  from 
God"  are  enjoined  in  the  Word  ;  -md  "to  believe  in  God"  is  the 
faith  that  saves,  but  "to  believe  the  things  that  are  from  God"  is 
an  historical  faith,  which  without  the  former  does  not  save,  and 
therefore  is  not  true  faith  ;  for  "  to  believe  in  God"  is  to  know,  to 
will,  and  to  do  ;  but  "to  believe  the  things  that  are  from  God  "  is 
to  know,  and  this  is  possible  without  willing  and  doing.  Those  who 
are  truly  Christians  know,  will,  and  do  ;  but  those  who  are  not 
truly  Christians  only  know :  the  latter  are  called  by  the  Lord 
"foolish,"  and  the  former  "wise"  {Matt.  vii.  24,  26). 


K 


APOCALYPSE.  66l 


CHAPTER    VI. 

ND  I  saw  when  the  Lamb  had  opened  the  first  of 
the  seals,  and  I  heard  one  of  the  four  animals  say- 
ing as  with  a  voice  of  thunder,  Come  and  see. 

2.  And  I  saw,  and  behold  a  white  horse;  and  he 
that  sat  upon  him  had  a  bow ;  and  there  was  given  to 
him  a  crown ;  and  he  went  forth  conquering  and  that 
he  might  conquer. 

3.  And  when  he  had  opened  the  second  seal  I  heard 
the  second  animal  saying,  Come  and  see. 

4.  And  there  went  forth  another  horse  that  was 
red ;  and  to  him  that  sat  upon  him,  to  him  it  was  given 
to  take  peace  from  the  earth,  that  they  should  slay  one 
another ;  and  to  him  was  given  a  great  sword. 

5.  And  when  he  had  opened  the  third  seal  I  heard 
the  third  animal  saying.  Come  and  see.  And  I  saw, 
and  behold  a  black  horse ;  and  he  that  sat  upon  him 
had  a  balance  in  his  hand. 

6.  And  I  heard  a  voice  in  the  midst  of  the  four  ani- 
mals saying,  A  measure  of  wheat  for  a  penny,  and  three 
measures  of  barley  for  a  penny,  and  the  oil  and  the 
wine  hurt  thou  not. 

7.  And  when  he  had  opened  the  fourth  seal  I  heard 
the  voice  of  the  fourth  animal  saying,  Come  and  see. 

8.  And  I  saw,  and  behold  a  pale  horse,  and  he  that  sat 
upon  him  his  name  was  Death,  and  Hell  was  following 
with  him.  And  there  was  given  unto  them  power  over 
the  fourth  part  of  the  earth,  to  kill  with  sword  and  with 
famine  and  with  death  and  by  the  beasts  of  the  earth. 

9.  And  when  he  had  opened  the  fifth  seal  I  saw  under 
the  altar  the  souls  of  those  slain  because  of  the  Word 
of  God  and  because  of  the  testimony  that  they  held. 


662  APOCALYI'SK    K.\  PI.AINEIX 

lO.  And  tlic)'  were  crying  out  with  a  great  voice, 
sayinq",  How  long,  O  Lord,  wlio  art  holy  and  true,  dost 
Thou  not  judge  and  avenge  our  blood  on  those  that 
dwell  on  the  earth? 

1  I .  And  there  were  given  to  each  one  of  them  white 
robes  ;  and  it  was  said  unto  them  that  they  should  rest 
yet  a  little  time,  until  their  fellow-servants,  as  well  as 
their  brethren,  who  were  to  be  killed  as  they  also  were, 
should  be  fulfilled, 

12.  And  I  saw  when  he  had  opened  the  sixth  seal, 
and  behold,  there  was  a  great  earthquake  ;  and  the  sun 
became  black  as  sackcloth  of  hair,  and  the  moon  be- 
came as  blood. 

13.  And  the  stars  of  heaven  fell  unto  the  earth,  as  a 
fig-tree  casteth  her  unripe  figs  when  shaken  by  a  great 
wind. 

14.  And  the  heaven  withdrew  as  a  book  rolled  up; 
and  every  mountain  and  island  were  moved  out  of 
their  places. 

1 5.  And  the  kings  of  the  earth,  and  the  great  ones, 
and  the  rich,  and  the  commanders  of  thousands,  and  the 
mighty,  and  every  serv^ant,  and  every  freeman,  hid  them- 
selves in  caves,  and  in  the  rocks  of  the  mountains. 

1 6.  And  they  said  to  the  mountains  and  to  the  rocks, 
Fall  on  us  and  hide  us  from  the  face  of  Him  that  sitteth 
on  the  throne,  and  from  the  an^er  of  the  Lamb. 

17.  For  the  great  day  of  His  anger  is  come;  and 
who  is  able  to  stand? 

EXPOSITION. 

VERSES   I,  2. 

350»  "  And  I  saw  when  the  Lamb  had  opened  the  first  of  the  seals,  and  I  heard  one 
of  the  four  animals  saying  as  with  a  voice  of  thunder.  Come  and  see.  And  I  saw,  and  behold 
a  white  horse ;  and  he  that  sat  upon  him  had  a  bow ;  and  there  was  giuen  to  him  a  crown ; 
and  he  went  forth  conquering  and  that  he  might  conquer." 

I.    "And  I  saw"  signififs  maniftstation  of  the  slalesof  those  -aJin  are  of  the  church 
Tvhere  the  (Von/  ?s  [n.  351];  "when  the  Lamb  had  opened  the  first 

cf  the  SPO/s"  signifies ///,'  fust  ntain'festntion  front  the  Z('/-,/[n.  352]  ; 


CHAP.  VI.,   VERSE    I. — N.    351.  663 

"and  I  heard  one  of  the  four  animals  saying  as  with  a  voice  of 
thunder"  sijiiiitifs  o/i/  of  llif  iiimosl  heaven  from  the  Lord  [n.  353]  ; 
"Come  and  see"  sii^iulies  attention  and  perception  [n.  354]. 
Z,  "And  I  saw,  and  behold  a  white  horse,"  si<;nif'Rs  inn/erstandin^^-  of  truth 
from  the  Word  \\\.  355]  ;  "and  he  that  sat  upon  him  had  a  bow"  sig- 
nihes  the  doctrine  of  char  it  v  and  faith.  /<y  'vhic/i  there  /s  combat  against 
evils  and  falsities,  and  by  which  they  are  dispersed  [n.  356,  357]  ;  "and 
there  was  given  to  him  a  crown"  signifies  eternal  life,  ivhich  is  the 
reward  of  vidory  [11.  358];  "and  he  went  forth  conquering  and  that 
he  might  conquer"  signifies  the  removal  of  evils  and  of  falsities  from 
evils  at  the  end  of  life,  and  afterwards  to  eternity  [n.  359]. 

351*  [Verse  1.]  "And  I  saw"  signifies  7nanifestation  of  the 
states  of  those  zvho  are  of  the  church  where  the  Word  is. — This 
is  evident  from  the  things  that  John  saw,  which  are  described  in 
this  chapter  and  in  what  follows,  as  meaning  manifestations  of  the 
state  of  those  who  are  of  the  church,  where  the  Word  is  ;  for 
there  is  here  described  "  the  opening  of  the  seals  of  the  book  " 
that  was  in  the  Lord's  hand,  and  what  was  then  seen,  namely, 
"four  horses,"  one  white,  another  red,  the  third  black,  and  the 
fourth  pale,  and  afterwards  "the  souls  of  those  that  were  slain  for 
the  Word  of  God,"  also  "an  earthquake,"  and  finally  "seven  an- 
gels who  had  seven  trumpets."  All  these  things  signify  manifesta- 
tions of  the  state  of  those  who  are  of  the  church,  as  can  be  seen 
from  the  particulars  viewed  in  the  internal  sense.  It  is  said,  the 
church  zuhere  the  Word  is,  because  the  Lord's  church  is  in  the 
whole  world,  but  in  a  special  sense  where  the  Word  is,  and  where 
the  Lord  is  known  through  the  Word.  The  state  of  those  who 
are  of  this  church  is  especially  treated  of  in  this  prophetic  book, 
here  in  general,  but  afterwards  particularly.  This  church  is  espe- 
cially treated  of  because  the  Lord,  and  thus  the  angels  of  heaven, 
are  present  with  the  men  of  this  earth  by  means  of  the  Word ;  for 
the  Word  is  written  by  pure  correspondences  ;  from  this  it  comes 
that  the  Lord  and  the  angels  of  heaven  are  present  also  with  those 
who  are  around  or  outside  of  the  church,  who  are  called  gentiles 

fnations]  (as  can  be  seen  from  the  things  mentioned  and  sliown  in  Heaven  and  Hell, 
on  The  Conjundtion  of  Heaven  with  the  Man  of  the  Church  by  means  of  the  Word 
n.  114,  30^-310;  and  in  the  Doftrine  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  n.  244,  346,  255-266). 

[2.]  The  church  in  the  whole  world  appears  before  the  Lord  as 
one  Man,  for  it  makes  a  one  with  the  angelic  heaven.  (,That  it  ap- 
pears before  the  Lord  as  one  man,  see  Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  59-102.)     In  thlS 

man  the  church  where  the  Word  is  and  where  the  Lord  is  known 
thereby  is  like  the  heart  and  the  lungs ;  with  those  who  are  in 
celestial  love  the  church  is  like  the  heart,  and  with  those  who  are 
in  spiritual  love  like  the  lungs ;  consequently,  as  all  the  members, 
•viscera,  and  organs  of  the  body  live  from  the  heart  and  from  the 


664  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

lungs,  and  from  tluir  influx  and  consequent  presence,  iio  all  in  the 
whole  earth,  who  constitute  the  church  universal,  li\e  from  the 
church  where  the  Word  is ;  for  the  Lord  flows  in  therefrom  with 
love  and  with  light,  and  vivifies  and  enlightens  all  who  are  in  any 
spiritual  affe(51ion  for  truth,  wherever  they  are.  The  light  of  heaven, 
that  is,  the  light  in  which  are  the  angels  of  heaven  who  are  from  this 
earth,  is  from  the  Lord  by  means  of  the  Word  ;  from  this  as  from 
a  centre  light  is  diffused  into  the  circumferences  in  every  direc- 
tion, thus  to  those  who  are  there,  who,  as  was  said,  are  the  nations 
that  are  outside  of  our  church.  But  this  diffusion  of  light  is  ef- 
fe6led  in  heaven  by  the  Lord,  and  what  is  done  in  heaven  flows 
also  into  the  minds  of  men,  for  the  minds  of  men  make  one  with  the 
minds  of  spirits  and  angels.  It  is  for  this  reason  that  those  are 
especially  treated  of  in  this  prophetical  book  who  are  of  the 
church  where  the  Word  is  ;  then  those  are  treated  of  who  are  of 
the  church  where  the  Word  is  not,  although  not  next  in  order, 
for  next  comes  the  arrangement  of  those  who  are  in  the  circum- 
ferences according  to  the  order  in  which  those  are  who  are  in  the 
centre. 

352*  "When  the  Lamb  had  opened  the  first  of  the  sea/s" 
signifies  the  first  Tnanifestation  fram  the  Lord. — This  is  evident 
from  the  signification  of  "to  open  a  seal,"  as  meaning  to  reveal 
things  hidden  which  are  written  within  ;  for  when  a  seal  is  opened 
the  things  enclosed  are  read,  here  hidden  things  that  no  one  except 
the  Lord  alone  could  know,  for  they  are  the  states  of  all  in  general 
and  in  particular.  That  no  one  except  the  Lord  alone  knew  these 
states  is  evident  from  what  has  been  explained  above  respecSling 
this  book  and  the  opening  of  its  seals  (n.  199,  222[a],  299,  327). 
From  this  it  is  clear  that  "when  the  Lamb  had  opened  the  first 
of  the  seals"  signifies  the  first  manifestation  from  the  Lord. 

353.  "And  I  heard  one  of  the  four  animals  saying  as  with  a 
voice  of  thunder"  signifies  out  of  the  inmost  heaven  from  the 
Lord. — This  is  evident  from  the  signification  of  "  the  four  ani- 
mals "  or  cherubim,  as  meaning  in  tlie  highest  sense,  die  Lord's 
Divine  providence  and  guard  that  there  be  no  approach  except 
through  the  good  of  love  (of  which  see  above,  n.  152,  277);  and  as 
meaning  in  a  relative  sense  the  inmost  and  third  heaven  (of  which 
also  above,  n.  3i3[<i],  322) ;  also  from  the  signification  of  "a  voice  of 
thunder,"  as  meaning  manifestation  therefrom.  That  "  lightnings, "^ 
"thunders,"  and  "voices,"  in  the  Word,  signify  enlightenment, 
understanding,  and  perception,  see  above  (n.  273),  thus  also  man- 
ifestation. That  "thunders"  signify  manifestation  from  the  in- 
most heaven  is  from  correspondence  ;  for  the  voices  that  come 


CHAP.   VI.,   VERSE    2. — N.   355[^].  66> 

down  out  of  that  heaven  even  into  the  hearing  of  man  are  heard 
only  as  thunders,  for  they  fill  the  whole  cerebrum  and  extend 
themselves  therefrom  towards  the  hearing,  and  are  there  perceived 
as  a  sound  of  thunder.     It  is  otherwise  with  the  voices  that  come 
down  out  of  the  middle  heaven  ;  for  as  these  flow  in  with  enlight- 
enment, they  are  heard  only  with  a  sound  like  words  of  speech. 
[2.]  The  reason  of  this  is  that  the  things  that  come  down  out  of  the 
inmost  or  third  heaven  enter  the  will  of  man,  and  the  will  expresses 
itself  in  soimds  ;  but  the  things  that  come  down  out  of  the  middle 
or  second  heaven  enter  into  the  intellect  of  man,  and  the  intel- 
\eti  expresses  itself  in  articulations  of  sound  ;  for  sounds  take  shape 
in   the  imderstanding,  and  sounds  so  shaped,  which  are  called 
articulations  of  sound,  present  themselves  in  the  thought  in  ideas, 
and  in  the  hearing  in  words.    Those  things,  therefore,  that  come 
down  out  of  the  inmost  or  third  heaven  correspond  to  thun- 
der, and  those  out  of  the  middle  or  second  heaven  to  lightning ; 
and  consequently  in  the  Word  "lightnings"  and  " thunders " sig- 
nify enlightenment,  understanding,  and  perception.    There  is  some- 
thing like  this  in  the  case  of  sounds  in  the  world,  which  grow 
louder  as  they  come  down  from  heights,  as  from  high  mountains 
into  valleys,  and  from  clouds  towards  the  earth,  from  which  are 
thunders ;  so  the  voices  out  of  the  third  or  highest  heaven,  when 
they  roll  on  towards  the  lower  parts  and  at  length  reach  the  low- 
est, in  which  is  human  hearing,  are  heard  as  thunders,  but  only 
by  those  whose  interiors  are  opened,  as  John's  were  at  this  time. 
354»    "Come  and  see"  signifies  attention  a7id perception. — 
This  is  evident  from  the  signification  of  "  coming"  when  any  thing 
is  presented  to  be  seen,  as  meaning  to  give  attention  ;  for  in  a 
spiritual  sense,  "to  come"  means  to  draw  near  with  the  sight,  thus 
to  give  attention  ;    all  attention  is  a  directing  of  the  sight  to  the 
obje6t.     It  is  evident  also  from  the  signification  of  "  to  see,"  as 
meaning  perception,  for  "to  see"  in  the  Word  signifies  to  under- 
stand (see  above,  n.  1 1, 260);  here  it  signifies  to  perceive,  because  this 
was  out  of  the  inmost  heaven,  since  what  comes  out  of  the  inmost 
heaven  is  perceived,  but  what  comes  out  of  the  middle  heaven  is 
understood,  for  the  reason  that  the  inmost  heaven  is  in  the  good 
of  love,  but  the  middle  heaven  is  in  truths  therefrom,  and  all  per- 
ception is  from  good,  and  all  understanding  is  from  truths.     (On 

this  see  above,  n.  307  ;   what  perception  is,  see  Doclruu  of  the  New  yerusalem,  n. 
140.) 

355[«],  [  Verse  2]  "  And  I  saw,  and  behold  a  white  horse,"  sig- 
nifies tinderstanding  of  truth  from  the  Word. — This  is  evident 
from  the  signification  of  "horse,"  as  meaning  the  intelle(5l;  and 


666  APOCALYPSE    KXPLAINKIJ. 

from  the  signification  of"  white,"  which  is  predicated  of  truth.    (That 

'•  horse  "  signifies  the  intellect  can  be  seen  froni  wiiat  is  quoted  and  siiown  in  The 
White  Horse ;   and  that  "  white"  is  predicated  of  truth,  see  above,  n.  I96.)        It 

is  said  that  "a  white  horse"  was  seen  when  the  Lamb  opened 
the  first  seal,  "a  red  horse"  when  He  opened  the  second,  "a 
black  horse"  when  He  opened  the  third,  and  "a  pale  horse"  when 
He  opened  the  fourth;  and  as  "hoi'se"  signifies  the  intelledl, 
particularly  in  relation  to  the  Word,  it  can  be  seen  that  under- 
standing of  truth  from  the  Word,  and  what  it  is  with  men  of 
the  church,  are  here  described  by  "horses."  It  is  the  saine 
whether  you  say  that  understanding  of  truth  is  described,  or  those 
who  are  in  it  are  described  ;  for  men,  spirits,  and  angels  are  the 
subjects  in  which  it  resides.  From  this  it  can  be  knovNii  what  is 
described  in  the  internal  or  spiritual  sense  in  this  chapter  and  in 
those  that  follow,  namely,  the  Word  in  relation  to  the  understand- 
ing. This  is  evident  also  from  the  ninth  verse  of  this  chapter, 
where,  after  these  four  horses  had  appeared,  and  the  fifth  seal  had 
been  opened,  it  is  said,  "  I  saw  the  souls  of  them  that  had  been 
slain  for  the  Word  of  God  ;"  also  from  the  nineteenth  chapter  of 
this  book,  where  it  is  said  that 

The  name  of  Him  that  sat  upon  the  white  horse  is  called  "the  Word  of 
God  "  (verse  13). 

That  "a  horse"  signifies  the  intellect,  and  "a  white  horse"  un- 
derstanding of  truth  from  the  Word,  can  be  seen  shown  in  the 
work  cited,  above,  on  The  White  Horse ;  but  as  only  a  few  pas- 
sages were  there  quoted  from  the  Word,  in  proof  that  "horse" 
signifies  the  intelledl,  I  will  here  quote  more,  that  there  may  be 
abundant  proof;  these  now  follow.     [2.]    In  Ezekiel : 

"Gather  yourselves  from  every  side  to  My  sacrifice  that  I  do  sacrifice 

for  you Ye  shall  be  satisfied  at  My  table  with  horse  and  with 

chariot,  with  the  mighty  man,  and  with  every  man  of  war So 

will  I  give  My  glory  among  the  nations"  (xxxix.  17,  20,  21). 

This  treats  of  the  calling  together  of  all  to  the  Lord's  kingdom, 
and  particularly  of  the  establishment  of  the  church  with  the  na- 
tions ;  for  it  describes  the  spiritual  captivity  in  which  the  nations 
were,  and  their  liberation  from  it.  "  The  sacrifice  "  to  be  sacrificed 
signifies  all  worship  by  which  the  Lord  is  worshipped.  "To  be 
satiated  at  My  table"  signifies  with  all  spiritual  food ;  and  as  this 
food  is  an  understanding  of  truth  from  the  Word  and  from  doc- 
trine from  the  Word,  it  is  said,  "  with  horse  and  with  chariot," 
"horse"  signifying  understanding  of  truth  from  the  Word,  and 
"chariot"  signifying  do6lrine  therefrom.  It  is  also  said,  "with  the 
mighty  man,  and  with  every  man  of  war,"  "  mighty  man  "  signi- 
fying the  truth  from  good  that  destroys  evil,  and  "man  of  war"  the 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE  2. — N.  355[a].  667 

truth  from  good  that  destroys  falsity.  Unless  such  things  were  sig- 
nified, how  could  it  be  said  that  they  should  be  satiated  "with 
horse  and  with  chariot,  with  the  mighty  man,  and  with  every  man 
of  war?"     [3.]    Likewise  m  the  Apoca/ypse : 

"  Gather  yourselves  together  unto  the  supper  of  the  great  God  ;  that  ye 
may  eat  the  flesh  of  kings,  and  the  flesh  of  commanders  of  thou- 
sands, and  the  flesh  of  mighty  men,  and  the  flesh  of  horses,  and 
of  them  that  sit  on  them  "  (xix.  17,  18). 

What  precedes  this  treats  of  the  Word  and  its  spiritual  sense ; 
this  is  an  invitation  to  learn  truths,  and  to  come  to  a  perception  of 
goods;  and  "the  supper  of  the  great  God"  signifies  instruction 
in  truths,  and  consequent  perception  of  good  from  the  Lord  ;  and 
"the  flesh  of  kings,"  " of  commanders  of  thousands,"  "of  mighty 
men,"  "of  horses,"  and  "of  them  that  sit  on  them,"  signifies  truths 
of  every  kind  which  are  from  good,  "flesh"  signifying  good, 
"kings"  Divine  truths  in  general,  "commanders  of  thousands" 
the  same  in  particular,  "mighty  men"  natural  truths,  "horses" 
intelleftual  truths,  and  "those  that  sit  on  them"  spiritual  truths. 
It  must  be  clear  to  everyone  that  this  does  not  mean  the  flesh 
of  kings,  of  commanders  of  thousands,  of  mighty  men,  of  horses, 
and  of  them  that  sit  on  them.     [4.]    In  Habakkuk: 

"  Was  Jehovah  displeased  with  the  rivers  ?  was  Thine  anger  against  the 
rivers?  was  Thy  wrath  against  the  sea?  because  Thou  ridest  upon 
Thy  horses,  Thy  chariots  are  salvation,.  . .  .Thou  hast  trodden  the 
sea  with  Thy  horses,  the  mire  of  many  waters  "  (iii.  8,  15). 

Who  does  not  see  that  "horses"  here  do  not  mean  horses?    For 
it  is  said  of  Jehovah  that  "  He  rides  upon  His  horses."  and  that 
"  He  treads  the  sea  with  His  horses,"  and  that  "  His  chariots  are 
salvation?"     But  this  is  said  because  "His  riding  upon  horses" 
signifies  that  Jehovah,  that  is,  the  Lord,  is  in  the  understanding  of 
His  Word  in  its  spiritual  sense  ;  and  since  dodlrine  of  truth,  which 
teaches  the  way  of  salvation,  is  from  the  Word,  it  is  added,  "  Thy 
chariots  are  salvation,"  "chariots"  signifying  do6lrine ;  also  "to 
tread  the  sea  with  horses"  signifies  that  Jehovah,  that  is, the  Lord 
is  in  the  understanding  of  His  Word  in  its  natural  sense  ;  for  "  sea ' 
here  signifies  that  sense,  and  in  general  all  things  of  the  natural 
man  and  that  are  for  the  natural  man  ;  and  because  Divine  truths 
there  are  in  their  outmost,  it  is  added,  "the  mire  of  many  waters,' 
"  mire  "  signifying  the  outinost  from  which  and  in  which  are  truths 
and  "waters"  signifying  truths.     [5.]    In  Zechariah: 

"  I  will  cut  off  the  chariot  from  Ephraim,  and  the  horse  from  Jerusalem 
and  the  bow  of  war  shall  be  cut  off;  but  He  shall  speak  peace  to 
the  nations"  (ix.  10). 

This  treats  of  the  Lord's  coming,  and  of  the  establishment  of  the 


I 

668  APOCALYPSE   EXPLAINED. 

church  among  the  nations.  That  there  would  then  be  nothing  of 
the  church  remainii'.i;  with  the  Jews  is  indicated  l)y,  "I  will  cut  otf 
the  chariot  from  Ephraim,  and  the  horse  from  Jerusalem,  and  the 
bow  of  war  shall  be  cut  off,"  which  signifies  that  there  would  no 
longer  be  any  truth  in  do6\rine  nor  any  understanding  of  truth  ; 
and  thus  no  combat  and  resistance  against  falsity  ;  "  Ephraim  " 
signifies  the  church  in  relation  to  an  understanding  of  truth,  and 
"Jerusalem  "  the  church  in  relation  to  do<5lrine  of  truth,  "  chariot " 
do6lrine  itself,  and  "horse"  the  understanding  itself,  and  "the 
bow  of  war"  combat  and  resistance  against  falsity.  The  establish- 
ment of  the  church  among  the  nations  is  signified  by,  "  He  shall 
speak  peace  to  the  nations,"  "nations"  signifying  all  who  are  in 
good  of  love  to  the  Lord  (see  above,  n.  331),  "peace"  signifying 
that  good,  and  thus  all  things  of  the  church.  (That "  Ephraim  "  sig- 
nifies the  church  in  relation  to  understanding  of  truth,  see  A.C,  n.  3969,  5354,  6222, 
6234,  6237,  6267,  6296 ;  and  that  "  Jerus.alem  "  signifies  the  church  in  relation  to 
doc^lrine,  see  Dodlrhu  of  the  A^ezv  yerusaletn,  n.  6,  and  above,  n.  223.)     [O.]    In 

the  same, 

"In  that  day I  will  smite  every  horse  with  astonishment,  and  the 

horseman  with  madness  ;  and  I  will  open  mine  eye  upon  the  house 
of  Judah,  but  every  horse  of  the  peoples  will  I  smite  with  blind- 
ness" (xii.  4). 

This  treats  of  the  devastation  of  the  former  church,  and  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  new  church.  The  devastation  of  the  former  church 
is  described  by  "  In  that  day  I  will  smite  every  horse  with  aston- 
ishment, and  the  horseman  with  madness  ;  and  every  horse  of  the 
peoples  will  I  sinite  with  blindness."  It  is  plain  that  "  horse"  here 
signifies  understanding  of  truth  with  men  of  the  church,  and 
"horseman"  affedlion  for  spiritual  truth,  from  which  is  under- 
standing; else  why  should  it  be  said  that  "the  horse  should 
be  smitten  with  astonishment,  and  the  horse  of  the  peoples  with 
blindness  ?"  "Astonishment "  is  predicated  of  understanding  when 
it  has  no  perception  of  good,  and  "blindness"  when  it  has  no 
perception  of  truth;  "the  house  of  Judah"  signifies  the  chui'ch 
with  those  who  are  in  the  good  of  love  to  the  Lord,  and  thus  in 
the  do61;rine  of  truth  from  the  Word  (see  above,  n.  1 19,  21 1) ;  there- 
fore it  is  said,  "  upon  it  I  will  open  mine  eye,"  which  signifies  to 
enlighten  them  that  they  may  see  truths.     [7.]    In  the  same, 

"  In  that  day  there  shall  be  upon  the  bells  of  the  horses,  Holiness  to  Je- 
hovah "  (xiv.  20). 

This  also  treats  of  tlie  Lord's  coming,  and  the  invitation  of  all  to 
the  church;  and  "the  bells  of  the  horses"  signify  knowledges 
[sientijica  et  cognitiones)  and  prcacliings  therefi'om  which  are  from  an 
understanding  of  truth  ;  and  as  all  understanding  of  truth  is  from 


CHAP.   VI.,   VERSE    2. — N.  355[/^].  669 

the  Lord,  and  thus  the  knowledges  and  preachings  themselves, 
it  is  said,  "  there  shall  be  upon  the  bells  of  the  horses,  Holiness  to 
Jehovah."     Because  "bells"  have  this  signification. 

There  were  bells  of  gold  upon  the  borders  of  Aaron's  robe  round 
about  (Exad.  xxviii.  34,  35). 

[ft.]    [8.]  In  Moses  : 

"  Dan  shall  be  a  serpent  upon  the  way,  an  asp  upon  the  path,  biting  the 
horse's  heels,  and  its  rider  shall  fall  backwards :  I  wait  for  Thy 
salvation,  O  Jehovah"  (^Gen.  xlix.  17,  18). 

This  is  a  prophecy  of  Israel  the  father,  respe6ling  the  tribe  of 
Dan,  which  tribe  signifies  the  outniosts  of  the  church,  thus  those 
who  are  in  the  outmosts  of  truth  and  good,  who  are  called 
sensual ;  for  there  are  in  the  church  those  who  are  spiritual  and 
those  who  are  natural,  and  the  natural  are  interior,  middle,  and 
outmost ;  the  outmost  are  the  sensual,  who  do  not  raise  their 
thoughts  above  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word.  These  are 
meant  by  "  Dan ;"  what  they  are  is  described  in  this  prophecy 
namely,  that  "  Dan  is  a  serpent  upon  the  way,  an  asp  upon  the 
path,  biting  the  horse's  heels,  and  its  rider  shall  fall  backwards  ;" 
"serpent  upon  the  way,"  and  "asp  upon  the  path"  signify  the 
sensual  in  relation  to  truth  and  good ;  "horse's  heels"  signify  the 
outmosts  of  understanding  of  truth  and  good  ;  and  "the  rider," 
reasoning  from  these ;  and  because  the  sensual  viewed  in  itself 
does  not  see  truths,  since  it  does  not  apprehend  things  spiritual, 
and  therefore  slides  easily  into  falsities  unless  continually  withheld 
from  them  by  the  Lord,  it  is  said,  "and  its  rider  shall  fall  back- 
wards :  I  wait  for  Thy  salvation,  O  Jehovah."     (That  "  Dan  "  signifies 

the  outmosts  of  the  church,  see  A.C.,  n.  1710,  6396,  10335;  that  "serpent"  signi- 
fies the  sensual,  which  is  tlie  outmost  of  understanding,  n.  6398,  6949,  8624  end, 
10313,  and  above,  n.  70 ;  that  "  way  "  signifies  truths,  n.  627,  2333,  10422,  and  above, 
n.  97  ;  and  that  "  the  heel  "  signifies  the  outmost  natural,  or  corporeal  natural,  n.  259 
4938,  seq.  What  the  sensual  is,  and  what  sensual  men  are  in  both  senses,  see  Doc- 
irine  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  n.  50.)      [9.]     In  Zechariah  : 

"I  lifted  up  mine  eyes,  and  saw,  when  behold,  four  chariots  coming  out 
from  between  two  mountains  ;  and  the  mountains  were  mountains 
of  brass.  To  the  first  chariot  were  red  horses  ;  to  the  second  char- 
iot black  horses  ;  to  the    third  chariot  white  horses  ;   and  to  the 

fourth  chariot  grisled  horses,  strong The  angel  said,  These 

are  the  four  winds  of  heaven,  going  forth  from  standing  near  the 
Lord  of  the  whole  earth.  The  black  horses  which  are  therein  go 
forth  into  the  land  of  the  north  ;  and  the  white  went  forth  after 
them ;  and  the  grisled  went  forth  into  the  land  of  the  south  ;  and 
the  strong  went  forth  and  sought  to  go  that  they  might  wander 

through  the  earth And  he  said,  Behold  these  that  go  forth  to 

the  land  of  the  north,  they  have  caused  my  spirit  to  rest  in  the 

land  of  the  north And  they  that  are  afar  shall  come  and  shall 

build  in  the  temple  of  Jehovah"  (vi.  1-8,  15). 


670  APOCALYPSK    KXPI.AINKD. 

This  prophecy  is  understood  by  no  one  unless  he  knows  what 
"chariots"  and  "horses"  signify,  and  what  "red,"  "black,"  "white," 
"grisled,"  and  "strong"  signify;  also  what  "the  land  of  the 
north"  and  "the  land  of  the  south"  signify.  It  treats  of  the 
church  that  was  to  be  extended  among  those  who  as  yet  were  in 
no  light  of  truth,  because  they  had  not  the  Word  ;  "the  north" 
means  the  obscurity  of  the  truth  they  possessed;  "the  south" 
clearness  of  truth  ;  "horses"  mean  their  understanding;  "red," 
"black,"  "white,"  and  "grisled,"  mean  its  quality  in  the  begin- 
ning, and  its  quality  afterwards;  "red,"  the  quality  of  their  un- 
derstanding in  the  beginning  in  relation  to  good ;  "  black,"  the 
(juality  of  their  understanding  in  the  beginning  in  relation  to  truth  ; 
"white"  the  quality  of  their  understanding  afterwards  in  relation 
to  truth ;  "grisled,"  its  quality  finally  in  relation  to  truth  and  good ; 
and  "strong"  means  its  quality  in  relation  to  its  power  to  resist 
evils  and  falsities.  From  this  it  can  now  be  seen  what  is  signified 
by  "the  black  horses  went  forth  to  the  land  of  the  north,  and  the 
white  went  forth  after  them,"  and  "they  have  caused  My  spirit  to 
rest  in  the  land  of  the  north,"  namely,  that  those  who  from  good 
of  life  are  in  an  afifedion  for  knowing  the  truths  of  the  church 
receive  and  understand,  nor  are  any  others  enlightened  ;  that  such 
are  enlightened  and  receive  is  meant  by  "they  have  caused  My 
spirit  to  rest  in  the  land  of  the  north."  "The  grisled  went  forth 
into  the  land  of  the  south,  and  the  strong  to  wander  through  the 
earth,"  signifies  that  those  who  from  the  good  of  life  are  in  an 
affection  for  knowing  the  truths  of  the  church  come  into  the  light, 
and  that  they  resist  evils  and  falsities,  and  constitute  the  church. 
These  four  kinds  of  horses,  therefore,  are  called  "the  four  winds 
of  the  heavens,  going  forth  from  standing  near  the  Lord  of  the 
whole  earth;"  "winds"  signifying  all  Divine  truths,  and  "going 
forth  from  standing  near  the  Lord  of  the  whole  earth"  signifying 

that  all  truths  go  forth  from  Him.  (That  "  winds  "  signify  all  Divine  truths, 
see  A.C.,  n.  9642,  and  Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  141-153  ;  and  that  "  to  go  forth  "  signi- 
fies to  proceed,  A.C.,  n.  5337,  7124,  9303.)  "  They  that  are  afar,  that  shall 
build  in  the  temple  of  Jehovah,"  signifv  those  who  were  previously 
far  away  from  the  truths  and  goods  of  the  church,  who  shall  draw 

near  to  the  church.  (That  such  are  signified  by  "those  that  are  afar,"  see 
A.C.,  4723,  8918  ;  and  that  "  temple  of  Jehovah  "  signifies  the  church,  n.  3720  ;  more- 
over, that  "  the  north  "  signifies  obscurity  of  truth,  and  "  the  south  {austrtim  sive 
meridiem)  "  clearness  of  truth,  tlius  also  those  that  are  in  obscurity  and  in  clearness 

of  truth,  see  Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  148-151.)  What  is  signified  by  "  red  "  and 
"black,"  in  both  senses,  will  be  seen  in  the  explanations  at  verses 
4  and  5  of  this  chapter,  and  what  by  "white,"  see  above  (n.  196). 


(■HAF.   VI.,   VERSE    2. — N.   355[<:].  67  I 

'The  mountains  of  brass,"  from  between  which  the  chariots  and 
horses  went  fortli,  signify  the  good  of  love  in  the  natural  man  ; 
this  is  said  because  the  nations  here  treated  of,  before  they  were 
enlightened,  were  not  in  spiritual  good  but  in  natural  good.    (That 

"  mountain  "  signifies  good  of  love,  see  A.C.,  n.  795,  4210,  6435,  8327,  8758,  10438; 
and  "  brass"  natural  good,  see  above,  n.  70.)      [10.]     In  yo6  .' 

"God  hath  made  her  forget  wisdom,  neither  hath  He  imparted  to  her 
understanding.  What  time  she  lifteth  up  herself  on  high  she  laugh- 
eth  at  the  horse  and  its  rider"  (xxxix.  17,  18). 

These  things  are  said  of  a  "bird,"  which  signifies  intelligence  from 
self  {pro/>rium),  which  in  itself  is  no  intelligence  ;  for  man  from  self 
(proprium)  sees  nothing  but  falsities  and  not  truths,  and  intelligence 
is  from  truths,  not  from  falsities ;  therefore  it  is  said  of  her,  "  God 
hath  made  her  to  forget  wisdom,  neither  hath  He  imparted  to  her 
understanding,"  and  "when  she  lifteth  up  herself  on  high  she 
laugheth  at- the  horse  and  its  rider,"  that  is,  at  understanding  of 
truth,  and  at  him  who  is  intelligent, 
[c]    [11.1  In  David: 

"The  strong  in  heart  have  become  a  prey,  they  have  slept  their  sleep. 
....  Before  Thy  rebuke,  O  God  of  Jacob,  both  chariot  and  horse 
have  fallen  into  a  deep  sleep  "  (Ixxvi.  5,  6). 

The  "strong  in  heart"  signify  those  who  are  in  truths  from  good  ; 
"have  become  a  prey,"  and  "have  slept  their  sleep,"  signify  their 
having  fallen  from  evils  into  falsities;  "the  rebuke  of  the  God 
of  Jacob"  signifies  their  state  inverted  by  themselves  ;  and  "both 
chariot  and  horse  have  fallen  into  a  deep  sleep"  signifies  that 
their  intelledl  was  lulled  to  sleep,  because  it  had  become  merely 
natural.  That  "  to  be  awake  "  signifies  to  acquire  for  oneself  spir- 
itual life,  and  "to  be  asleep"  to  have  natural  life  without  spiritual, 
see  above  (n.  187).     [12.]    In  Ezekiel: 

*'  Javan,  Tubal,  and  Meshech, they  traded  thy  wares  for  the  soul  of 

man  and  vessels  of  brass.     They  of   Bethogarma  traded  for  thy 
wares  horses,  horsemen,  and  mules  "  (xxvii.  13,  14). 

This  treats  of  Tyre,  which  signifies  knowledges  of  truth  and  good 
pertaining  to  the  external  and  the  internal  church.  "Javan,  Tu- 
bal, and  Meshech,"  signify  those  who  are  in  external  worship  ;  and 
"thev  of  Bethogarma,"  those  who  are  in  internal  worship;  it  is 
said  therefore  that  these  "  traded  for  the  wares  of  Tyre,  horses, 
horsemen,  and  mules;"  and  "the  others  traded  the  soul  of  man 
and  vessels  of  brass;"  "soul  of  man"  signifies  truth  of  faith  in 
respecl;  to  knowledge;  "vessels  of  brass"  signify  the  truths  of 
natural  good  ;  and  "horses,  horsemen,  and  mules,"  signify  under- 


672  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

standing  of  truth  and  good,  "horses"  understanding  of  truth, 
"horsemen"  intelHgence,  and  "mules"  the  rational.  (That  "mule" 
signifies  the  rational,  see  A.C.,  n.  2781, 5741,  9212.)  Every  One  Can  see  that 
"the  tradings  of  Tyre,"  which  are  enuniemerated  in  this  chapter 
and  elsewhere,  do  not  mean  tradings  with  these  things,  such  as 
vessels  of  brass,  horses,  and  mules,  and  many  others ;  but  that 
spiritual  tradings  are  meant,  which  are  efre6led  by  means  of  know- 
ledges of  truth  and  good  ;  for  the  Word  is  Divine,  and  treats  of 
Divine  things,  and  not  of  earthly  things;  therefore  it  contains 
spiritual  things  which  pertain  to  heaven  and  the  church,  expressed 
in  the  outmost  sense,  which  is  the  sense  of  the  letter,  by  natural 

things  which  correspond  to  them.  (That  "  to  trade  "  and  "  to  be  a  mer- 
chant "  signifies  in  the  Word  to  acquire  and  to  communicate  knowledges  of  truth  and 
good,  see  A.C.,  n.  2967,  4453  ;  and  that  "  to  buy  "  and  "  to  sell  "  signify  the  same, 
n.  2967,  4397,  4453,  5371,  5374,  S406. 5410,  5426,  5886,  6143,  7999,  9039.)     [13.]  In 

Isaiah : 

"  Who  led  them  through  the  deeps,  as  a  horse  in  the  wilderness  they 
stumbled  not ;  as  a  beast  goeth  down  into  the  valley  the  Spirit  of 
Jehovah  led  him  "  (Ixiii.  13,  14). 

This  chapter  treats  of  the  Lord,  and  His  combats  with  the  hells, 
and  His  subjugation  of  them,  but  here  of  the  salvation  of  those 
who  are  in  love  and  faith  towards  Him.  These  are  compared  to 
"a  horse  in  the  wilderness,"  and  to  "a  beast  in  the  valley,"  because 
"horse"  signifies  understanding  of  truth,  and  "beast"  affection 
for  good ;  for  all  comparisons  in  the  Word  are  from  correspond- 
ences.    [14.]    In  the  Apocalypse  : 

"  I  saw  heaven  opened,  and  behold  a  white  horse  ;  and  He  that  sat  upon 
him  .  . .  was  called  the  Word  of  God.  And  the  armies  that  are  in 
heaven  followed  Him  upon  white  horses"  (xix.  11-16). 

"A  white  horse"  evidently  signifies  understanding  of  the  Word, 
likewise  "the  white  horses"  upon  which  those  sat  who  followed; 
for  "He  that  sat  upon"  the  white  horse  was  the  Lord  in  relation 
to  the  Word  ;  for  it  is  said,  "  and  He  that  sat  upon  him  was  called 
the  Word  of  God ;"  and  in  verse  16,  "  He  had  upon  His  garment 
and  upon  His  thigh  a  name  written,  Lord  of  lords  and  King  of 
kings."    The  Lord  is  called  the  Word,  because  the  Word  means 

Divine  tl"Uth  going  forth  from  Him.  (But  these  things  in  \hQ  Apocalypse 
may  be  seen  more  fully  explained  in  the  work  on  The  White  Horse,  n.  i  ;  also  why  the 

Lord  is  called  "the  Word,"  n.  14.)  As  " chariots "  and  "  horses "  signify 
do61:rine  from  the  Word  and  understanding  of  it,  and  as  all  docftrine 
of  truth  and  understanding  of  it  are  out  of  heaven  from  the  Lord, 
it  is  said  of  Him  that  "  He  rides  upon  the  Word,"  "upon  the 
clouds,"  "upon  heaven,"  "upon  a  cherub,"  also  that  "He  makes 
to  ride,"  as  in  the  following  passages.     In  David : 


CHAP.   VI.,  VERSE    2.— N.  355[<:].  673 

"  Gird  Thy  sword  upon  the  thigh,  O  mighty  One,  in  Thy  glory and 

in  Thy  majesty  mount,  and  ride  upon  the  Word  of  truth  and  the 
meekness  of  righteousness"  {Psalm  xlv.  3,4). 

These  things  are  said  of  the  Lord.     In  the  same, 

''Sing  unto  God,  praise  His  name  ;  extol  Him  that  rideth  upon  the 
clouds  "  {Psalm  Ixviii.  4). 

In  Isaiah  : 

"  Behold,  Jehovah  rideth  upon  a  cloud and  cometh  into  Egypt ;  and 

the  idols  of  Egypt  shall  be  moved  before  Him  "  (xix.  i). 

In  David  : 

"  Sing  praises  unto  the  Lord, .  . .  to  Him  who  rideth  upon  the  heaven  of  the 

heaven  of  old  "  {Psalm  Ixviii.  32,  33). 
God  "  rode  upon  a  cherub,  He  did  fly,  and  was  borne  upon  the  wings  of 

the  wind  "  {Psalm  xviii.  10). 

In  Habakkuk  : 

"  O  Jehovah, . . .  Thou  dost  ride  upon  Thine  horses,  Thy  chariots  are  sal- 
vation  Thou  hast  trodden  the  sea  with  Thy  horses"  (iii.  ^. 

15). 

In  Isaiah: 

"Then  shalt  thou  delight  in  Jehovah  ;  and  1  will  make  thee  ride  in  the 
high  places  of  the  earth  "  (Iviii.  14). 

In  Moses : 

"  So  Jehovah  alone  did  lead  him and  made  him  ride  upon  tlie  hij^h 

places  of  the  earth"  {Deut.  xxxii.  12,  13). 

And  in  Hosea : 

"  I  will  make  Ephraim  to  ride  "  (x.  11). 

In  these  passages,  "to  ride"  signifies  to  give  intelHgence  and  wis- 
dom, because  "chariot"  signifies  do6lrine  of  truth,  and  "horses" 
understanding  of  it.     [15.]    In  Isaiah  : 

"Then  shall  they  bring  all  his  brethren  out  of  all  nations  a  gift  unto  Je- 
hovah upon  horses  and  upon  the  chariot,  and  upon  covered  wag- 
ons, upon  mules,  and  upon  swift  beasts,  to  the  mountain  of  My 
holiness,  Jerusalem  "  (Ixvi.  20). 

This  treats  of  the  establishment  of  a  new  church  by  the  Lord  ;  it  is 
not  meant  therefore  that  they  will  bring  their  brethren  upon  horses, 
upon  a  chariot,  upon  covered  wagons,  upon  mules,  and  upon 
swift  beasts,  to  Jerusalem  ;  but  it  is  meant  that  all  who  are  in  good 
are  to  be  instru6led  in  Divine  truths,  and  having  been  made  intel- 
ligent and  wise  thereby  are  to  be  introduced  into  the  church  ;  for 
"  brethren  "  signify  all  who  are  in  good;  "horses"  signify  under- 
standing of  truth;  "chariot"  dodlrine  of  truth  ;  "covered  wag- 
ons" knowledges  of  truth  ;  "  mules"  the  internal  rational,  which  is 


674  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

spiritual ;  and  "swift  beasts"  the  external  rational,  which  is  natural  ; 
and  "Jerusalem"  signifies  the  church,  in  which  is  the  do6trine  of 
Divine  truth,  which  is  called  "the  mountain  of  holiness"  from  love 
of  truth.  From  the  signification  of  "  chariots  "  and  "horses"  it 
can  be  seen  why 

Elijah  and  Elisha  were  called  "  the  chariots  of  Israel  and  the  horsemen 
thereof,"  and  the  mountain  was  seen  by  the  boy  of  Elisha  to  be 
full  of  horses  and  chariots  of  fire  round  about  Elisha  (2  Kings  ii. 
II,  12  ;  vi.  17  ;  xiii.  14) ; 

namely,  that  both  Elijah  and  Elisha  represented  the  Lord  in  re- 
lation to  the  Word,  and  "  chariots  "  signify  do6lrine  from  the  Word, 

and  "  horsemen  "  intelligence.  (That  Elijah  and  Elisha  represented  the 
Lord  in  relation  to  the  Word,  see  A.Cvi.  7643,  8029,  9372.) 

\A^  [16.]  That  "  chariots"  and  "  horses"  signify  do6trine  and 
understanding  of  it,  can  be  seen,  moreover,  from  their  contrary 
sense,  in  which  "chariots"  and  "  horses"  signify  do6frines  of  fals- 
ity, and  false  knowledges  {scientiftca)  from  a  perverted  intellect ; 
for  most  things  in  the  Word  have  a  conti'ary  sense,  from  which 
it  can  be  seen  what  they  signify  in  the  genuine  sense.  That 
"chariots"  and  "horses"  in  that  sense  have  such  a  signification 
can  be  seen  from  the  following  passages.     In  Ezekiel : 

"  Behold,  I  will  bring  against  Tyre, ....  the  king  of  Babylon  ....  from 

the  north,  with  horse  and  with  chariot,  and  with  horsemen 

He  shall  slay  with  the  sword  thy  daughters  in  the  field By 

reason  of  the  abundance  of  His  horses  their  dust  shall  cover  thee ; 
by  reason  of  the  voice  of  the  horsemen  and  of  the  wheel  and  of 

the  chariot,  thy  walls  shall  be  shaken With  the  hoofs  of  his 

horses  shall  he  tread  down  all  thy  streets ;  he  shall  slay  the  people 
with  the  sword"  (xxvi.  7,  8,  10,  11). 

"Tyre"  signifies  the  church  in  relation  to  knowledges  of  truth  ; 
and  "the  king  of  Babylon"  destrudion  of  truth  by  falsities  and 
profanation  ;  "the  north  "  from  which  he  was  to  come  signifies  the 
source  of  all  falsity,  in  particular,  hell,  out  of  which  falsity  arises ; 
'chariot,"  "horses,"  and  "horsemen"  signify  doctrine  of  falsity 
md  reasonings  therefrom  ;  "  the  daughters  whom  they  shall  slay 
-n  the  field  with  the  sword  "  signify  affedions  for  truth  which  fals- 
ities will  destroy,  for  "daughters"  are  affedions  for  truth,  "the 
field"  is  the  church  where  those  afifedions  are,  "the  sword"  is 
combat  of  falsity  against  truth,  and  "to  slay"  is  to  destroy. 
This  makes  clear  the  signification  of  "by  reason  of  the  abundance 
of  his  horses  their  dust  shall  cover  thee,"  "  dust"  meaning  evil  of 
falsity.  The  "  walls  "  that  shall  be  shaken  by  reason  of  the  voice  of 
the  horseman,  of  the  wheel,  and  of  the  chariot,  signify  protecting 
truths,  which  in  general  are,  that  there  is  a  God,  and  that  the  Word 
is  Divine,  and  that  there  is  eternal  life.     These  "walls,"  that  is. 


CHAP.   VI.,   VERSE    2.— N.  355[<1-  675 

these  truths,  are  said  "to  be  shaken  by  reason  of  the  voice  of  the 
horseman,  of  the  wheel,  and  of  the  chariot,"  when  they  come  to 
be  doubted  through  false  dodrines  and  reasonings  from  them  ; 
"the  hoofs  of  the  horses,"  with  which  he  shall  tread  down  all  the 
streets,  signify  the  outermost  things  of  the  natural  man,  which 
are  called  sense-impressions  {sensualia),  from  which  are  all  falsities  ; 
tlie  "streets  that  shall  be  trodden  down  by  them"  are  truths  of  the 
do6lrine  of  the  church,  which  are  wholly  destroyed  ;  the  "people" 
who  shall  fall  by  the  sword  signify  all  who  are  in  truths,  and  in 
an  abstrafi:  sense  all  truths.     [17.]    In  yeremiah  : 

"O  sword  against  the  liars,  that  they  may  become  foolish;  O  sword 
against  the  mighty,  that  they  may  be  dismayed  ;  O  sword  against 
her  horses  and  against  her  chariots  ;. . .  .O  sword  against  her  treas- 
ures, that  they  may  be  plundered  ;  let  there  be  drought  upon  her 
waters  that  they  may  be  dried  up  :  because  it  is  a  land  of  graven 
images  "  (1.  36-38). 

'Sword"  signifies  combat  of  truths  against  falsity,  and  of  falsity 
against  truth  and  consequent  vastation  ;  here  it  signifies  vasta- 
tion ;  "liars"  and  "mighty  men"  signify  falsities  and  reasonings 
therefrom;  the  same  is  signified  by  "horses"  and  "chariots;" 
the  "treasures,"  that  shall  be  plundered,  signify  all  things  of  doc- 
trine ;  "  the  drought  upon  the  waters,  that  they  may  be  dried  up," 
signifies  deprivation  of  truth,  "drought"  meaning  depri\-ation, 
and  "waters"  truths  ;  and  as  all  falsities  are  from  self-intelligence, 
it  is  said,  "because  it  is  a  land  of  graven  images,"  "land"  here 
signifying  heresy,  and  "graven  images"  what  is  from  self-intelli- 
gence.    (That  such  is  the  signification  of  "  graven  images,"  "  molten  images,"  and 

"  idols,"  see  A.C.,  n.  8869,  8941, 10406,  10503.)     [18.]   In  the  same, 

"  Behold,  he  shall  come  up  as  clouds,  and  his  chariots  as  a  whirlwind  : 
his  horses  are  swifter  than  eagles.  Woe  unto  us  !  for  we  are 
spoiled.  Wash  thine  heart  from  wickedness,.  ..  .that  thou  may- 
est  be  saved.     How  long  shall  thy  thoughts  of  iniquity  abide  in 

the  midst  of  thee?  ....  The  whole  land  shall  be  a  desolation 

The  whole  city  fleeth  for  the  voice  of  the  horseman  at  id  bowman  ; 
they  have  entered  the  clouds,  and  have  gone  up  into  the  rocks  ;  the 
whole  city  is  deserted  "  (iv.  13,  14,  27,  29). 

This  describes  the  vastation  of  the  church  by  falsities  of  evil ;  fals- 
ities are  signified  by  "  cloud  ;"  and  the  lust  of  reasoning  from  falsi- 
ties against  truths  by  "the  horses  that  are  swifter  than  eagles;" 
and  the  do<5lrinals  of  falsity  by  "the  chariots  that  are  as  a  whirl- 
wind ;"  that  consequently  everything  of  the  church  and  every- 
thing of  its  dodlrine  shall  perish,  is  signified  by  "the  whole  land 
shall  be  a  desolation,  and  the  whole  city  fleeth  for  the  voice  of  the 
horseman  and  bowmen  ;"  "land"  means  the  church,  and  "city"  its 
do6lrine  ;  "the  voice  of  the  horseman  and  bowmen"  means  rea- 
soning from  falsities  and  assault,  and  "to  flee"  means  to  perish. 


676  A.OCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

That  then  mere  lalsity  and  the  taith  ol  lalsity  wcnild  reign  is  signi- 
fied by  "  they  have  entered  the  clouds,  and  have  gone  up  into  the 
rocks,"  "clouds"  meaning  falsities,  and  "rocks"  faith  of  falsities. 
The  devastation  of  tlie  church  and  its  do(5lrine  is  evidently  here 
described,  for  it  is  said,  "Woe  unto  us  !  for  we  are  spoiled.  How 
long  shall  thy  thoughts  of  iniquity  abide  in  the  midst  of  thee? 
The  whole  land  shall  be  a  desolation.  The  whole  city  is  deserted." 
[19.]    In  the  same, 

"Behold,  a  people  cometh  from  the  land  of  the  north,  and  a  great  na- 
tion shall  be  stirred  up  from  the  sides  of  the  earth Their 

voice  roareth  like  the  sea ;  and  they  ride  upon  horses  "  (vi.  22,  23  ; 
1.  41,  42). 

Here,  too,  the  devastation  of  the  church  by  falsities  of  evil  is  de- 
scribed: "the  land  of  the  north,"  and  "the  sides  of  the  earth," 
are  the  source  of  these,  "the  land  of  the  north"  the  sotirce  of 
falsities,  and  "the  sides  of  the  earth"  the  source  of  evils  ;  for  "the 
north  "  signifies  what  is  remote  from  truths,  and  "  the  sides  of  the 
earth"  what  is  remote  from  goods;  therefore  "nation"  is  predi- 
cated of  the  latter,  and  "  people  "  of  the  former,  "  nation  "  meaning 
those  who  are  in  evils,  and  "people"  those  who  are  in  falsities  (see 
above,  n.  33i[<5]).  Their  reasoning  is  signified  by  "their  voice  roar- 
eth like  the  sea,  and  they  ride  upon  liorses."     [20.]    In  Ezekiel : 

"  Thou  shalt  come  from  thy  place  out  of  the  sides  of  the  north ;  thou 

and  many  peoples  with  thee,  all  of  them  riding  upon  horses 

And  thou  shalt  go  up  against  My  people  Israel,  as  a  cloud  to  cover 
the  land"  (xxxviii.  15,  16). 

These  things  are  said  of  Gog,  by  whom  external  worship  without 
any  internal  is  signified ;  "the  sides  of  the  north"  signify  here,  as 
above,  what  is  remote  from  goods  and  truths,  thus  the  source  of 
the  falsities  of  evil ;  and  because  they  reason  therefrom  and  attack 
the  truths  of  the  church  and  extinguish  them  it  is  said,  "all  of  them 
riding  upon  horses  ;  and  thou  shalt  go  up  against  My  people  Is- 
rael, as  a  cloud  to  cover  the  land,"  "  to  ride  upon  horses  "  meaning 
reasonings,  "to  go  up  against  the  people  Israel,"  and  "to  cover  the 
land,"  signifying  to  attack  the  truths  of  the  church  and  to  extin- 
guish them;  "clouds"  are  the  falsities  of  evil.    [21.]  In  Daniel: 

"At  the  time  of  the  end,  the  king  of  the  south  shall  come  into  collision 
with  the  king  of  the  north.  So  the  king  of  the  north  shall  rush 
upon  him  like  a  whirlwind,  with  chariot,  and  with  horsemen,  and 
with  many  ships  ;  and  he  shall  enter  into  the  countries  and  shall 
overflow  and  pass  through  "  (xi.  40). 

This  chapter  treats  of  the  combat  of  the  king  of  the  north  with 
the  king  of  the  south  ;  and  "  king  of  the  north  "  means  falsity  from 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE  2. — N.  355[<0.  677 

evil,  and  "king  of  the  south"  truth  from  good;  so  evidently  the 
things  mentioned  in  this  chapter  did  not  describe  any  future  war 
between  two  kings,  but  the  combats  of  falsity  from  evil  against 
truth  from  good.  "The  chariot  and  horsemen  with  which  the 
king  of  the  north  shall  rush  upon  him  "  are  the  assaults  upon  truth 
by  the  falsities  of  evil ;  the  "  many  ships,"  with  which  also  they 
shall  rush  upon  him,  are  knowledges  (scieniiftca)  and  docfrinals  of 
falsity  ;  the  destru6fion  of  the  church  thereby  is  signified  by  "he 
shall  enter  into  the  countries  and  shall  overflow  and  pass  through." 

(That  "  ships  "  signifv  knowledges  {scioitifica)  and  dodlrinals,  in  both  senses,  seeyi.C, 
n.  1977,  6385;  and  that  "  to  overflow  "  signifies  immersion  in  folsities  and  evils,  n. 
660,  705,  739,  756,  790,  5725,  6853.) 

[c]    [22.]   In  yeremiah  : 

"By  thee  will  I  scatter  the  nations,  and  by  thee  will  I  destroy  kingdoms, 
and  by  thee  will  I  scatter  the  horse  and  its  rider,  and  by  thee  will 
I  scatter  the  chariot  and  him  that  rideth  in  it"  (li.  20,  21). 

And  in  Haggai: 

"I  will  overthrow  the  throne  of  kingdoms,  and  I  will  destroy  the  strength 
of  the  kingdoms  of  the  nations  ;  and  I  will  overthrow  the  chariot 
and  those  who  ride  in  it ;  and  the  horses  and  their  riders  shall 
come  down,  a  man  by  the  sword  of  his  brother"  (ii.  22). 

This  is  said  of  the  destruction  of  falsity  and  evil,  and  not  of  the 
destruction  of  any  nation  or  kingdom  ;  for  "nations"  signify  evils, 
and  "kingdoms"  (like  "peoples")  falsities.  Moreover,  this  is 
prophetical,  not  historical.  This  makes  clear  what  "hor.se  and 
rider,"  and  "  chariot  and  him  that  rideth  in  it"  signify,  namely,  that 
"  horse  and  rider  "  signify  a  perverted  intelle<5t  and  reasoning  there- 
from and  "  chariot  and  him  that  rideth  in  it "  the  do6frine  of  falsity,, 
that  is,  heresy,  and  those  who  are  in  it.     [23.1    In  Nahum  : 

"  Woe  to  the  city  of  bloods  !  the  whole  is  filled  with  lying  and  rapine ; 
....the  voice  of  the  whip,  and  the  voice  of  the  rattling  of  the 
wheel,  and  the  horse  neighing  and  the  chariot  leaping,  the  horse- 
man making  to  ascend,  and  the  shining  of  the  sword,  and  the  flash 
of  the  spear,  and  a  multitude  of  the  slain,  and  a  heap  of  carcases, 

because  of  the  multitude  of  the  whoredoms  of  the  harlot 

selling  nations  by  her  whoredoms  and  families  by  her  witchcrafts  " 
(iii.  1-4). 

This  treats  of  the  violence  offered  to  Divine  truth,  and  the  de- 
stru(5lion  of  it  by  the  falsities  of  evil ;  for  this  is  signified  by  "city 
of  bloods,"  respe<5ling  which  what  follows  is  said  (seeabove.n.  329[/]);. 
therefore  it  is  also  said,  "  the  whole  is  filled  with  lying  and  rapine,"' 
"lie"  meaning  falsity,  and  "rapine"  violence  offered  by  falsity  ; 
and  as  "wars"  signify  spiritual  combats,  which  are  combats  of 
truth  against  falsity  and  of  falsity  against  truth,  all  things  pertain- 
ing to  war,  as  "  whip,"  "  horse,"  "chariot,"  "sword,"  and  "spear," 


678  ArOCAIATSi:    i:XPLAINEU. 

aiignify  various  tilings  pertaining  to  spiritual  warfare  ;  but  what 
each  of  these  in  particular  signifies  need  not  be  explained  here, 
only  what  "horse,"  "horseman,"  and  "chariot"  signify.  "The 
voice  of  the  rattling  of  the  wheel"  signifies  reasonings  fron-.  falsi- 
ties and  evils ;  "  the  horse  neighing  and  the  chariot  leaping  "  sig- 
nifies the  lust  of  destroying  truths,  "horse"  meaning  the  intellecl 
perverted,  and  "chariot"  the  dodlrine  of  falsity,  which  destroy; 
"to  neigh"  and  "to  leap"  meaning  to  be  moved  to  destroy  by 
lust  and  delight,  and  "horseman  making  to  ascend"  meaning 
assault.  It  is  therefore  said,  "a  multitude  of  the  slain,  and  a  heap 
of  carcases,"  those  are  called  "slain"  who  perish  from  falsities, 
and  "carcases"  who  perish  from  evils  ;  therefore  it  is  added,  "be- 
cause of  the  multitude  of  the  whoredoms  of  the  harlot,  selling  the 
nations  by  her  whoredoms,  and  families  by  her  witchcrafts ;" 
"whoredoms"  signify  falsifications  of  truth,  "harlot"  heresy,  "to 
sell  nations"  signifies  to  become  estranged  from  goods,  and  "to  sell 
families  by  witchcraft"  to  become  estranged  from  truths,"  "na- 
tions" meaning  goods,  "families"  truths  therefrom,  and  "witch- 
crafts" falsities  of  evil  which  estrange.     [24.]    In  Habakkuk: 

"  I  stir  up  the  Chaldeans,  that  bitter  and  hasty  nation,  that  marcheth 
into  the  breadths  of  the  land  ;. . .  .her  horses  are  swifter  than  leo- 
pards, and  more  fierce  than  wolves  of  the  eveninjjj,  so  that  her 
horsemen  spread  themselves  ;  yea,  her  horsemen  shall  come  from 
far ;  they  shall  fly  as  an  eagle  that  hasteth  to  eat.  She  shall  come 
wholly  for  violence  ;. . .  .she  shall  scoff  at  kings,  and  rulers  shall  be 
a  derision  unto  her  "  (i.  6,  8-10). 

"The  Chaldeans"  mean  those  who  profane  truths  and  thus  vas- 
tate  the  church,  therefore  they  are  called  "a  bitter  and  hasty  na- 
tion, that  marcheth  into  the  breadths  of  the  land,"  "breadths  of 
the  land  "  meaning  the  truths  of  the  church  (see  Heaven  and  Hell,  n. 
197).  Their  lust  for  and  dexterity  in  perverting  truths  and  de- 
stroying them  by  reasonings  from  falsities  wholly  remote  from 
truths  are  signified  by,  "  her  horses  are  swifter  than  leopards, 
and  more  fierce  than  wolves  of  the  evening,  so  that  her  horsemen 
spread  themselves  ;  yea,  her  horsemen  shall  come  from  far  ;  they 
shall  fly  as  an  eagle  that  hasteth  to  eat."  Lust  is  signified  by 
"  her  horses  are  swifter  than  leopards  ;"  and  dexterity  by  "  her 
horses  are  more  fierce  than  the  wolves  of  the  evening ;"  and  both 
by  "they  fly  as  an  eagle."  Because  the  lust  and  dexterity  are  for 
destroying  truths,  it  is  said,  "she  shall  come  wholly  for  violence  ;" 
their  mocking  at  truths  and  goods  is  signified  by  "she  shall  scoflf 
at  kings,  and  rulers  shall  be  a  derision  unto  her;"  "kings"  signi- 
fying truths,  and  "lords"  and  "rulers"  goods.     [25.]   In  David  : 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE    2. — N.  355[^].  679 

"Some  in  the  chariot,  and  some  in  horses;  but  we  will  glory  in  the 
name  of  our  God  "  {Psalm  xx.  7). 

In  the  same, 

"  A  king  is  not  saved  by  the  multitude  of  an  army  ; ....  a  horse  is  a  vain 
thing  for  safety  "  {Psalm  xxxiii.  16,  17). 

In  the  same, 

"Jehovah  delighteth  not  in  the  strength  of  a  horse  ;  His  pleasure  is  not 
in  the  thighs  of  a  man  "  {Psalm  cxlvii.  10). 

"To  glory  in  the  chariot  and  in  horses,"  and  "Jehovah  dehghteth 
not  in  the  strength  of  a  horse,"  signify  all  things  from  self-intelli- 
gence, from  which  are  nothing  but  falsities  ;  and  "the  thighs  of  a 
man  "  signify  those  things  that  are  from  his  own  will,  from  which 
are  nothing  but  evils.     [26.]    In  Amos  : 

"  He  that  holdeth  the  bow  shall  not  stand,  nor  shall  the  swift  of  foot  de- 
liver himself,  nor  shall  he  that  rideth  upon  the  horse  deliver  his 
soul,  but  he  that  is  strong  in  his  heart  shall  flee  away  naked  in 
that  day"  (ii.  15,  16). 

This,  too,  describes  self-intelligence  and  confidence  arising  from 
an  ability  to  speak  and  reason  from  falsities.  "He  that  holdeth 
the  bow  shall  not  stand,"  and  "the  swift  of  foot  shall  not  deliver 
himself,"  signify  that  one  who  knows  how  to  reason  readily  from 
the  do6lrine  of  falsity  and  from  the  knowledge  {scientia)  and  mem- 
ory of  the  natural  man,  shall  not  on  that  account  be  saved  ;  the 
same  is  signified  by  "  he  that  rideth  upon  the  horse  shall  not  de- 
liver his  soul."  "He  that  is  strong  in  heart,  who  shall  flee  away 
naked  in  that  day,"  signifies  that  he  who  trusts  in  his  falsities  shall 
be  without  any  truth,  "strong  in  heart"  meaning  one  who  trusts 
in  his  falsities,  and  "naked  "  one  who  is  without  any  understanding 
of  truth  (see  above,  n.  240).     [27.]    In  Isaiah  : 

"The  Lord  Jehovih,  the  Holy  One  of  Israel,  saith, . . . .  In  quietness 
and  in  confidence  shall  be  your  strength  ;  but  ye  would  not,  and 
said.  No,  but  upon  a  horse  we  will  flee  ;  therefore  ye  shall  flee ; 
and  We  will  ride  upon  the  swift ;  therefore  shall  they  that  pursue 
you  be  made  swift"  (xxx.  15,  16). 

This  treats  of  confidence  in  the  Lord  and  of  confidence  in  self; 
confidence  in  the  Lord  in  these  words,  "the  Lord  Jehovih,  the 
Holy  One  of  Israel,  said.  In  quietness  and  in  confidence  shall  be 
your  strength  ;"  and  confidence  in  self  in  these  words,  "  and  ye  said, 
No,  but  upon  a  horse  we  will  flee,"  and  "  we  will  ride  upon  the 
swift;"  "to  flee  upon  a  horse,"  and  "to  ride  upon  the  swift,"  sig- 
nifying to  covet  and  love  those  things  that  are  of  one's  own  un- 
derstanding, and  thought  and  reasoning  therefrom.  That  falsities 
will  then  break  in  and  take  possession  is  signified  by,  "therefore 


680  APOCALYPSi:    F.XI'LAINIiU. 

ye  sliall  flee,"  and  "  therefore  shall  they  that  pursue  you  be  made 
swift,"  "swiftness"  and  "haste"  signifying  what  is  done  from  lust, 
that  is,  from  love. 

[/*•]  [28.]   In  Zechariah  : 

Jehovah  shall  set  Judah  "  as  the  horse  of  His  glory  in  war;  Out  of  him 
shall  be  the  corner,  out  of  him  the  nail,  and  out  of  him  the  bow 

of  war And  they  shall  be  as  mighty  men  treading  down  the 

mire  of  the  streets  :  . .  .  .  and  they  shall  fight  because  Jeliovah  is  with 
them,  and  they  shall  make  ashamed  them  that  ride  upon  horses" 
(x.  3-5)- 

"The  house  of  Judah"  signifies  the  Lord's  celestial  kingdom,  that 
is,  the  heaven  and  church  that  are  in  love  to  the  Lord  ;  of  this  it 
is  said  that  it  shall  be  "as  a  horse  of  glory  in  war,"  which  signi- 
fies understanding  of  Divine  truth  combating  against  evils  and 
falsities,  which  it  will  destroy,  "horse"  signifying  understanding, 
"glory"  Divine  truth,  and  "war"  combat  against  falsities  and 
evils  and  their  destruction.  "The  corner,"  "the  nail,"  and  "the 
bow  of  war,"  that  are  "out  of  Judah,"  signify  truths,  "the  cor- 
ner" truth  protecting,  "the  nail"  truth  strengthening,  and  the 
"bow  of  war"  truth  combating  from  do6lrine.  "They  shall  be 
as  mighty  men  treading  down  the  mire  of  the  streets  "  signifies 
the  power  to  disperse  and  destroy  falsities,  "mire  of  the  streets" 
signifying  falsities.  "They  shall  make  ashamed  them  that  ride 
upon  horses"  signifies  annihilation  of  the  reasonings,  argumenta- 
tions, and  proofs  that  are  from  man's  own  understanding  ;  that  this 
shall  be  accomplished  by  the  Lord  and  not  by  them  is  meant  by, 
"  they  shall  fight  because  Jehovah  is  with  them."  [29.]  In  Ho- 
sea : 

"  Asshur  will  not  save  us  ;  we  will  not  ride  upon  the  horse  ;  we  will  say 
no  more  to  the  work  of  our  hands.  Thou  art  our  God  "  (xiv.  3). 

This  also  treats  of  intelligence  from  self  {ex propria),  that  it  will  not 
save.  "Asshur"  signifies  the  rational,  here  as  being  from  self 
{ex propria);  " to  Hdc  upoH  the  horse"  signifies  reasoning  of  the 
understanding  from  self  (ex propria) ;  and  "work  of  the  hands"  sig- 
nifies the  selfhood  (proprium)  itself     [30.]    In  Ezekiel : 

"  Oholah  played  the  harlot and  she  doted  on  her  lovers,  on  the  As- 
syrians her  neighbors,  clothed  in  blue, ....  horsemen  riding  upon 
horses"  (xxiii.  5,  6,  12,  23). 

"  Oholah,"  which  here  is  Samaria,  signifies  a  church  in  which  truths 
are  falsified  ;  "  her  whoredoms,"  which  are  treated  of  in  this  chapter, 
signify  falsifications  ;  "the  Assyrians"  signify  reasonings  by  which 
truths  are  falsified  ;  and  because  "  to  ride  upon  horses  "  signifies  to 
reason  from  falsities  that  are  from  self-intelligence,  it  is  said,  "  she 
doted  on  the  Assyrians,  horsemen  riding  upon  horses  ;"  the  "blue,. 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE    2. — N.  355[/].  68X 

in  which  they  were  clothed,"  signifies  falsity  appearing  as  truth, 
which  appearance  comes  chiefly  from  applying  the  sense  of  the 
letter  of  the  Word  to  principles  of  falsity.     [31.]    In  yeremiah  : 

"The  snorting  of  his  horses  was  heard  from  Dan  ;  at  the  sound  of  the 
neighings  of  his  strong  ones  the  whole  land  trembled  ;  and  they 
came  and  devoured  the  land  and  its  fulness ;  [the  city]  and  those 
that  dwell  therein  "  (viii.  i6). 

What  is  meant  by  "  Dan "  has  been  told  above  in  this  article, 
namely,  truth  in  its  outmost ;  this  is  the  truth  in  the  church  that  is 
contained  in  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word.  Those  who  abide 
in  this  alone,  and  do  not  read  the  Word  according  to  the  dodlrine 
of  genuine  truth,  which  should  guide  and  enlighten,  may  be  car- 
ried away  into  all  kinds  of  errors  ;  those  who  are  carried  away 
into  errors  or  falsities  are  meant  here  by  "Dan;"  the  consequent 
confirmation  of  falsities  is  meant  by  "the  snorting  of  his  horses  ;" 
and  falsifications  of  truth  are  meant  by  "  the  sound  of  the  neighings 
of  his  strong  ones ;"  these  are  called  "strong  "  from  their  confid- 
ence, based  on  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word,  that  falsity  is 
truth.  That  the  church  in  respe6l  to  its  truths  and  goods  is  thereby 
vastated,  is  signified  by  "the  whole  land  trembled;"  and  "they 
came  and  devoured  the  land  and  its  fulness,  and  those  that  dwell 
therein,"  "the  land"  meaning  the  church,  "its  fulness"  truths, 
and  "those  that  dwell  therein"  goods.     [32.]    In  Isaiah: 

"  He  hath  lifted  up  an  ensign  to  the  nations  from  far,  and  hath  hissed 
to  him  that  cometh  from  the  end  of  the  earth,  and  behold  the  swift 
shall  come  quickly, ....  whose  arrows  are  sharp,  and  all  his  bows 
are  bent ;  the  hoofs  of  his  horses  are  accounted  as  rock,  and  his 
wheels  as  a  whirlwind  "  (v.  26,  28). 

This,  too,  treats  of  those  who  are  in  outmosts  in  regard  to  under- 
standing of  truth  and  perception  of  good.  These  outmosts  are 
what  are  called  sense-impressions  (sensua/ia),  which  are  the  outmosts 

of  the  natural  man  (of  which  see  Do£lrine  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  n.  50)  ;  fl'Om 

these,  when  separated  from  the  spiritual  man,  stream  forth  all  the 
evils  and  falsities  that  are  in  the  church  and  in  its  do6lrine :  evils 
from  this  source  are  signified  by  "the  nations  that  shall  come  from 
far ;"  and  falsities  by  "  him  that  cometh  from  the  end  of  the  earth  ;" 
"far,"  and  "and  of  the  earth"  signifying  those  things  that  are 
remote  from  the  truths  and  goods  of  the  church.  "The  arrows 
that  are  sharp,"  and  "the  bows  that  are  bent"  signify  falsities  of 
do<5lrine  prepared  to  destroy  truths,  and  "the  hoofs  of  the  horses" 
that  are  accounted  as  rock,  and  "his  wheels"  that  are  as  a  whirl- 
wind, signify  the  outmosts  of  truth,  like  those  in  the  sense  of  the 
letter  of  the  Word,  and  arguments  and  confirmations  of  falsity 
by  means  of  these;  "hoofs  of  the  horses"  mean  the  outmosts  of 


682  APOCALYPSE   EXPI.AIXF.D. 

understanding,  here  of  perverted  understanding,  because  separated 
from  the  understanding  of  the  spiritual  man  ;  and  because  these 
outmosts  are  from  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word,  it  is  said, 
"are  accounted  as  rock;"  while  "wheels"  mean  argumentations 
and  confirmations  by  means  of  these,  and  because  these  appear 
convincing  they  are  said  to  be  "  as  a  whirlwind."  [33.]  In  the 
Book  of  yudges : 

"  My  heart  is  toward  the  lawgivers  of  Israel.     Meditate,  ye  that  ride 

on  white  asses,  and  sit  on  middin,  and  that  walk  by  the  way 

The    stars  from   their  courses  fought  against  Sisera Then 

were  the  hoofs  of  the  horses  bruised ;  the  prancing  of  his  strong 
ones  struck  together  "  (v.  9,  10,  20,  22). 

These  words  are  contained  in  the  song  of  Deborah  and  Barak  ; 
which  treats  of  the  combat  of  truth  against  falsity  and  its  vi6lory ; 
"  the  lawgivers  of  Israel "  signify  the  truths  of  the  church ;  "  to  ride 
on  white  asses"  and  "to  sit  on  middin"  signify  perception  of 
good  and  understanding  of  truth,  "white  asses "  signifying  the  ra- 
tional in  respe6l  to  good,  and  "middin"  the  rational  in  respe6l  to 
truth  ;  and  "to  walk  by  the  way  and  to  meditate"  signify  a  life  of 
truth  ;  "  the  stars  from  their  courses  fought  against  Sisera  "  signi- 
fies knowledges  of  truth,  and  combat  from  them  against  falsities 
of  evil ;  "the  feet  of  the  horses  that  were  bruised,"  and  "the 
prancing  of  the  horses  that  struck  together"  signify  the  destruc- 
tion of  falsities  that  are  from  the  outmost  natural,  that  is,  the  sense 
plane  (sensuali),  and  arguments  therefrom, 
[fif.]    [34.]    In  Amos: 

"  Shall  horses  run  upon  the  rock?  shall  one  plough  with  oxen  ?  for  ye 
have  turned  judgment  into  gall,  and  the  fruit  of  righteousness 
into  wormwood"  (vi.  12). 

"Shall  horses  run  upon  the  rock?"  signifies,  Is  there  any  under- 
standing of  truth?  "shall  any  one  plough  with  oxen?"  signifies,  Is 
there  any  perception  of  good?  This  is  plainly  the  meaning,  for  it 
follows,  "for  ye  have  turned  judgment  into  gall,  and  the  fruit  of 
righteousness  into  wormwood,"  "  to  turn  judgment  into  gall "  signi- 
fies to  turn  truth  into  falsity  ;  and  "  turn  the  fruit  of  righteousness 
into  wormwood,"  signifies  to  turn  good  into  evil.     [35.]  In  David  : 

"  Thou  hast  laid  a  burden  upon  our  loins.  Thou  hast  caused  a  man  to 
ride  over  our  head  ;  we  entered  into  the  fire  and  the  waters :  but 
Thou  hast  brought  us  out  into  a  broad  place"  {Psalm  Ixvi.  11,  12). 

This  is  a  description  of  spiritual  captivity  and  deliverance  therefrom. 
There  is  spiritual  captivity  when  the  mind  is  so  shut  up  as  not 
to  perceive  good  nor  understand  truth  ;  there  is  deliverance  from 
it  when  the  mind  is  opened  ;  "the  burden  upon  the  loins"  signi- 
fies that  there  is  no  perception  of  good  of  love,  for  "loins"  and 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE    2.— N.  355[^]-  683 

"thighs"  signify  good  of  love  ;  "  to  cause  a  ir.an  to  ride  o\er  our 
head  "  signifies  that  there  is  no  understanding  of  truth  ;  "  man  "  here 
signifying  intelligence  from  se\{(expro/>rio),  which  is  no  intelligence  ; 
and  "head"  the  same.  Hecause  this  is  the  signification  it  is  said, 
"we  entered  into  the  fire  and  the  waters,"  "into  the  fire  "  meaning 
into  the  evils  that  are  from  love  of  self,  and  "into  the  waters" 
meaning  into  falsities;  deliverance  therefrom  is  meant  by  "but 
Thou  hast  brouglit  us  out  into  a  broad  place,"  "broad  place"  sig- 
nifying truth  (as  above).     In  Isaiah: 

"Woe  to  them  that  go  down  into  Egypt  for  help,  and  stay  on  horses, 
and  trust  in  the  chariot  .....  but  they  look  not  unto  the  Holy  One 

of  Israel,  neither  seek  Jehovah For  Egypt  is  man  and  not 

God,  and  its  horses  flesh  and  not  spirit"  (xxxi.  i,  3). 

"  Egvpt"  in  the  Word  signifies  the  knowing  [faculty]  {scie?ifificum) 
whicli  is  in  the  natural  man,  thus  also  the  natural  man  ;  and  be- 
cause the  natural  man,  with  the  knowing  [faculty]  that  is  in  it,  has 
no  understanding,  but  only  thought  from  the  memory,  which  is  a 
kind  of  imagination  from  obje6ls  of  sight  and  hearing ;  and  because 
this  is  beneath  the  spiritual,  in  which  all  the  goods  and  truths  of 
heaven  and  the  church  reside,  "  Egypt"  signifies  in  most  passages 
a  falsified  knowing  [faculty]  iscientificiDnfahum) ;  for  when  the  spirit- 
ual man  does  not  flow  in,  knowledges  {scien/ifca)  in  the  natural 
man  are  tm'ned  into  mere  falsities,  and  its  thoughts  into  confirma- 
tions of  falsity  and  into  reasonings  from  them  against  truths.  From 
this  it  can  be  seen  what  is  signified  by  "  horses  of  Egypt  and  its 
chariots,"  namely,  that  "horses"  .signify  knowledges  {sdentifica), 
and  "chariots"  do6lrinals  from  which  are  reasonings  against  truth. 
Such,  therefore,  seek  truths  from  no  other  source  than  themselves^ 
for  each  one's  own  {proprium)  has  its  seat  in  the  natural  man,  and 
what  is  not  his  own  {mn  proprium)  has  its  seat  in  the  spiritual ;  such 
persons  therefore  seize  upon  falsities  instead  of  truths,  and  upon 
evils  instead  of  goods,  calling  evils  goods  and  falsities  truths,  and 
trustmg  in  themselves,  because  they  trust  in  what  is  their  own 
(proprium).  Thcsc  things  are  signified  by  "Woe  to  them  that  go 
down  into  Egypt,  and  stay  on  horses,  and  trust  in  chariots  because 
they  are  many,  and  in  horsemen  because  they  are  very  strong ;" 
"horses"  here  mean  false  knowledges  [scientifua) ;  and  "chariots" 
do6lrinals  therefrom;  and  "horsemen"  reasonings  from  them 
against  truths ;  therefore  it  is  added,  "  Egypt  is  man  and  not 
God,  and  its  horses  flesh  and  not  spirit,"  signifying  that  what 
is  in  them  is  merely  natural  and  not  spiritual,  consequently  that 
there  is  in  them  nothing  of  life;  "man"  signifying  the  natural 
man,  and  "flesh"  what  is  its  own  {proprium) ;  "  God"  and  "spirit" 
signifying  the  Divine  spiritual  man,  and  life  therefrom  ;  and  since 


684  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

they  trust  in  themseK'es  and  not  in  the  Lord,  it  is  said,  "they 
look  not  unto  the  Holy  One  of  Israel,  neither  seek  Jehovah." 
[37.]  From  this  it  can  now  he  seen  what  is  signified  by  the 
horses,  the  chariots,  and  the  armies  of  Pharaoh,  in  Moses  : 

"I  will  be  rendered  glorious  in  Pharaoh  and  in  his  host and  in  his 

horsemen And  the  Egyptians  pursued  "  the  sons  of  Israel, 

"and  Pharaoh's  horses  went  after  them,  his  chariots  and  his  horse- 
men, into  the  midst  of  the  sea And  Jehovah  ....  took  off  the 

wheel  of  their  chariots,  so  that  they  drave  them  with  difficulty 

And  when  Moses  stretched  forth  his  hand  over  the  sea the 

waters  returned,  and  covered  the  chariots  and  the  horsemen,  to- 
gether with  the  whole  host  of  Pharaoh"  {Exod.  xiv.  17,  18,  23,  25, 
27,  28). 

And  in  the  same, 

"Moses  and  the  children  of  Israel  sang  this  song  unto  Jehovah, ....  In 
singing  I  will  sing  unto  Jehovah,  for  in  exalting  He  hath  exalted 
Himself  ;  the  horse  and  his  rider  hath  He  cast  into  the  sea, ....  and 
his  chariots  and  his  host"  {Exod.  xv.  i,  4,  19,  21). 

What  the  horses  and  chariots  of  Pharaoh  or  Egypt  signif}-  has 
been  shown  above;  his  "host"  signifies  all  falsities,  in  general 
and  in  particular;  and  "sea"  signifies  damnation  and  hell,  where 
all  are  in  their  own  {proprium),  because  they  are  in  the  natural  man 
separated  from  the  spiritual,  and  in  all  kinds  of  evils  and  falsities 
therefrom.  The  same  is  signified  by  "horses  of  Egypt,"  in  these 
words  in  Moses : 

"  If  ye  shall  say,  I  will  set  over  me  a  king, ....  in  setting  thou  shalt  set 
over  thee  a  king  whom  Jehovah  thy  God  shall  choose  ; . . .  .  only 
he  shall  not  multiply  to  himself  horses,  nor  shall  he  bring  back  the 
people  into  Egypt,  that  he  may  multiply  horses  "  {Deut.  xvii.  14-16;. 

These  things  are  said  of  a  king,  because  the  Lord  in  relation  to 
Divine  truth  is  represented  by  kings,  and  thus  "  kings  "  signify 
truths  from  good  from  the  Lord  (see  above,  n.  31).  And  as  truths 
from  good  have  their  seat  in  the  spiritual  man,  as  was  said  above, 
and  the  knowledges  {scientificd)  that  belong  to  the  natural  man  serve 
the  spiritual  man  as  servants  do  their  lord,  it  is  said,  "only  he  shall 
not  multiply  to  himself  horses,  nor  shall  he  bring  back  the  people 
into  Egypt,  that  he  may  multiply  horses  ;"  which  signifies,  only 
let  not  one  from  being  a  spiritual  man  become  natural,  and  lead 
himself,  and  trust  in  what  is  his  own  {proprium)  instead  of  in  the 
Lord,  that  is,  let  not  the  truths  of  the  spiritual  man  serve  the  nat- 
ural, instead  of  the  knowledges  {scientifica)  of  the  natural  man  serv- 
ing the  spiritual ;  for  this  latter  is  according  to  order,  but  the 
former  contrary  to  order.  "  Horses  "  of  Egypt  have  a  like  sig- 
nification elsewhere  in  the  Word 

(as  Jer.  xlvi.  4,  9 ;  Ezek.  xvii.  15  ;  xxiii.  20). 


CHAP.    VI.,  VERSE    2.^N.    356.  685 

356.  "And  he  that  sat  on  him  had  a  bow"  signifies  the  doc- 
trine of  charity  and  faith  from  that  joiderstanding,  by  -which 
one  fights  against  evils  and  falsities  arid  disperses  them. — This  is 
evident  from  the  signification  of  "  he  that  sat  on  a  white  horse,"  as 
meaning  the  Word  (respecting  which  just  above) ;  also  from  the  signi- 
fication of  "bow,"  as  meaning  the  do6i:rine  of  charity  and  faith, 
by  which  one  fights  against  evils  and  falsities  and  disperses  them. 
That  "bow"  signifies  this  docftrine  will  be  seen  in  what  follows. 
Here  first  let  something  be  said  respecting  doctrine  : 

(i.)     Without  doflrine  no  one  can  understaiid  the  Word. 

(ii.)    Without  dodrine  from  the   Word  no  one  can  fight 

against  evils  ajid  falsities,  and  disperse  them. 
{iii.)     Without  doctrine  frotn  the  Word  no  one  within  the 
church  where  the  Word  is  can  become  spiritual. 

(iv.)  Do6lrine  can  be  acqttired from  no  other  source  than  the 
Word,  and  by  none  except  those  who  are  in  enlight- 
enment from  the  Lord. 

(v.)  All  things  of  dodrifie  must  be  corroborated  by  the  sense 
of  the  letter  of  the  Word. 

In  respe<5l  to  the  first,  namely,  Without  doSlrine  no  one  ca7i  un- 
derstand the  Word,  it  can  be  seen  from  this,  that  the  sense  of  the 
letter  of  the  Word  consists  of  pure  correspondences,  which  con- 
tain in  themselves  things  spiritual,  thus  it  consists  of  such  things 
as  are  in  the  world  and  in  its  nature.  From  this  it  is  that  the 
sense  of  the  letter  is  natural  and  not  spiritual,  thus  accommodated 
to  the  apprehension  of  the  simple,  who  do  not  raise  their  ideas 
above  such  things  as  they  see  before  their  eyes.  From  this  it  is, 
moreover,  that  it  contains  such  things  as  do  not  appear  to  be 
spiritual,  although  the  whole  Word  inwardly  in  itself  is  purely  spir- 
itual, because  it  is  Divine.  For  this  reason  there  are  in  the  sense 
of  the  letter  many  things  that  cannot  be  made  available  as  doc- 
trine for  the  church  at  this  day,  and  many  things  that  can  be  ap- 
plied to  various  and  conflidling  principles,  and  from  this  heresies 
arise ;  yet  there  are  many  intermingled  things  from  which  do6lrine 
can  be  gathered  and  framed,  especially  the  do6lrine  of  life,  which 
is  the  doclrine  of  charity  and  of  faith  therefrom.  But  he  who  reads 
the  Word  from  do6lrine  sees  there  all  things  that  corroborate,  as 
well  as  many  things  that  lie  concealed  from  the  eyes  of  others  ;  nor 
does  he  suffer  himself  to  be  drawn  away  into  strange  views  by  those 
things  in  the  Word  that  do  not  seem  to  agree,  and  that  he  does 
not  understand ;  for  all  things  of  do6lrine  that  he  sees  there  are 
clear  to  him,  and  other  things  are  obscure  to  him.  Do6lrine,  there- 
fore, which  consists  of  genuine  truths  is  as  a  lamp  to  those  who 


686  APOCALYPSE    KXPLAINED. 

read  the  Word  ;  but  on  the  other  hand,  to  those  who  read  the 
Word  without  do(l:\rine  it  is  Uke  a  lampstand  without  a  Hght, 
placed  in  a  dark  place,  by  means  of  which  nothing  conducive  to 
salvation  can  there  be  seen,  known,  inquired  into,  or  found  ;  more- 
over, one  who  so  reads  it  is  liable  to  be  led  away  into  any  errors 
to  which  the  mind  is  bent  by  any  love,  or  is  drawn  by  any  prin- 
ciple. From  this  it  can  be  seen  that  without  do6lrine  no  one  can 
understand  the  Word. 

[2.]  Secondly,  That  without  doHriyie  from  the  Word  no  one 
cayi  fight  against  evils  and  falsities,  and  disperse  thevi,  can  be 
seen  from  this,  that  from  do6trine  truths  can  be  seen  in  their  own 
light  and  in  their  own  order,  but  not  from  the  Word  without  doc- 
trine. This  is  clear  from  what  has  just  been  .said.  But  if  truths 
cannot  be  seen,  neither  can  falsities  and  evils  be  seen,  lor  the 
latter  are  contraries  of  the  former ;  j-et  all  combat  against  evils 
and  falsities  is  by  truths,  that  is,  by  means  of  truths  from 
the  Lord  ;  consequently  he  who  reads  the  Word  without  doc- 
trine may  easily  be  led  to  fight  for  falsity  against  truth  and 
for  evil  against  good,  by  confirming  evils  and  falsities  by  a  wrong 
interpretation  and  application  of  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the 
Word  ;  and  as  a  consequence  the  man  is  not  reformed ;  for 
man  is  reformed  by  the  dispersion  of  evils  and  the  falsities  of  evil, 
by  means  of  truths  applied  to  the  life.  This  is  what  is  here  meant 
by  "the  white  horse"  that  was  seen,  and  by  "he  that  sat  on  him 
having  a  bow;"  for  "a  white  horse"  signifies  understanding  of 
truth  from  the  Word,  and  "a  bow"  signifies  the  do6lrine  of  char- 
ity and  of  faith  therefrom  by  which  one  fights  against  evils  and 
falsities  and  disperses  them. 

[3.]  Thirdly,  That  without  doSlrine  from  the  Word  no  one 
within  the  church,  where  the  Word  is,  can  become  spiritual,  can 
be  seen  from  what  has  now  been  said,  namely,  that  without  doc- 
trine the  Word  is  not  understood,  and  that  without  do6lrine  from 
the  Word  one  cannot  fight  against  evils  and  falsities  :  for  man  be- 
comes spiritual  by  means  of  a  life  according  to  Di\ine  truths, 
which  he  is  ignorant  of  without  do(5trine,  and  by  removing  evils 
and  falsities,  which  cannot  be  done  without  doctrine,  as  was  said 
above.  Without  these  two  man  is  not  reformed,  thus  does  not 
become  spiritual,  but  remains  natural,  and  confirms  his  natural  life 
by  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word,  which  is  natural,  by  wrongly 
interpreting  and  applying  it.  It  is  said,  within  the  church  where 
the  Word  is,  since  those  who  are  out  of  the  church  do  not  have 
the  Word,  and  therefore  know  nothing  about  the  Lord  ;  and  no 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE    2. — N.   356.  687 

one  becomes  spiritual  except  from  the  Lord ;  and  yet  all  who 
acknowledge  a  God  and  worship  Him  under  the  human  form,  and 
live  in  charity  according  to  a  religious  system  that  is  in  accord 
with  the  Word,  are  prepared  by  the  Lord  to  receive  spiritual  life, 

and   do    receive   it    in    the   other   life    (on  which  see  Heaven  and  Hell,  n. 

313-328 ;  and  above,  n.  107,  I95[a]).  Man  becomes  spiritual  by  regen- 
eration, and  regeneration  is  effected  by  "water  and  the  spirit," 
that  is,  by  means  of  truths  and  a  life  according  to  them  (see  DoaHne 

of  the  New  yerusalem,  n.  173-186  ;  that  baptism  in  the  Christian  world  is  for  a  sign 
and  memorial  of  regeneration,  n.  202-209,  in  the  same  work). 

[4.]  Fourthly,  That  doSlriyie  can  be  acquired  from  no  other 
source  than  the  Word,  and  by  none  except  those  who  are  in  en- 
lightenment from  the  Lord,  can  be  seen  from  this,  that  the  Word 
is  Divine  truth  itself,  and  is  such  as  to  have  the  Lord  in  it ;  for 
the  Lord  is  in  His  Divine  truth  that  goes  forth  from  Him  ;  those, 
therefore,  who  frame  doctrine  from  any  other  source  than  the 
Word,  do  not  frame  it  from  Divine  truth  or  from  the  Lord. 
Moreover,  in  every  particular  of  the  Word  there  is  a  spiritual 
sense,  and  angels  of  heaven  are  in  that  sense  ;  consequently  there 
is  a  conjundlion  of  heaven  with  the  church  by  means  of  the 
Word ;  those,  therefore,  who  frame  do6lrine  from  any  other 
source  than  the  Word  do  not  frame  it  in  conjundlion  with  heaven, 
from  which  nevertheless  is  all  enlightenment.     (That  conjundtion  of 

heaven  with  man  is  by  means  of  the  Word,  see  Heaven  and  Hell,   n.  303-310.) 

From  this  it  is  evident  that  doctrine  is  to  be  acquired  from  no 
other  source  than  the  Word,  and  by  none  except  those  who  are 
in  enlightenment  from  the  Lord.  Those  are  in  enlightenment 
from  the  Lord  who  love  truths  because  they  are  truths ;  and  be- 
cause such  as  these  do  them  they  are  in  the  Lord  and  the  Lord 
is  in  them. 

[5.]  Fifthly,  That  all  things  of  doSlrine  must  be  corroborated 
by  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word,  can  be  seen  from  this,  that 
Divine  truth  in  the  sense  of  the  letter  is  in  its  fulness,  for  that  is 
the  outmost  sense,  and  the  spiritual  sense  is  in  it ;  when,  therefore, 
do6lrine  has  been  corroborated  by  that  sense  the  dodlrine  of  the 
church  is  also  the  doctrine  of  heaven,  and  there  is  conjun6lion  by 
correspondence.  Let  this  be  illustrated  by  this  only :  when  man 
thinks  any  truth  and  corroborates  it  by  the  sense  of  the  letter,  it  is 
perceived  in  heaven,  but  not  if  he  does  not  corroborate  it ;  for  the 
sense  of  the  letter  is  the  basis  into  which  spiritual  ideas,  which  are 
angel's  ideas,  close,  much  the  same  as  words  are  the  basis  into 
which  the  meaning  of  the  thought  falls  and  is  communicated  to 
another.  That  this  is  so  might  be  proved  by  much  experience 
from  the  spiritual  world  ;  but  this  b  not  the  place  to  present  it. 


688  APOCALYPSK    EXPLAINED. 

357[w]«  That  "a  bow"  signifies  dodlrine  combating,  that  is, 
dodlrine  by  which  one  fights  against  evils  and  falsities,  and  that 
"arrows,"  "javelins,"  and  "darts,"  signify  truths  of  do6lrine 
which  fight,  can  be  seen  from  the  following  passages  : — In  Zecha- 
riah: 

"  I  will  cut  off  the  chariot  from  Ephraim,  and  the  horse  from  Jerusalem, 
and  the  bow  of  war  shall  be  cut  off,  but  he  shall  speak  peace  to  the 

nations Return  to  the  stronghold,  ye  prisoners  of  hope  ; . .  .  . 

and  I  will  bend  Judah  to  Me,  and  with  a  bow  I  will  fill  F^phraim, 
and  I  will  stir  up  thy  sons,  O  Zion, ....  for  Jehovah  shall  be  .seen 
over  them,  and  His  dart  shall  go  forth  as  lightning ;  and  the  Lord 
Jehovih  shall  blow  with  a  trumpet,  and  He  shall  go  in  the  whirl- 
winds of  the  south"  (ix.  lo,  12-14). 

This  treats  of  the  vastation  of  the  Jewish  church  and  the  establish- 
ment of  a  church  among  the  nations.  The  vastation  of  the  Jew- 
ish church  is  described  by  "  I  will  cut  off  the  chariot  from  Ephraim, 
and  the  horse  from  Jerusalem,  and  the  bow  of  war  shall  be  cut 
off,"  which  signifies  that  there  would  be  no  longer  any  truth  in 
do6};rine  nor  any  understanding  of  truth,  and  thus  no  combat  or 
resistance  against  falsity,  "chariot"  signifying  do6i:rine  of  truth, 
'•'horse"  understanding  of  truth,  "bow  of  war"  combat  from  doc- 
trine against  falsity;  it  is  said  "bow  of  war"  because  dodlrine 
combating  is  meant.  "Ephraim"  signifies  the  church  in  relation 
to  the  understanding  of  truth,  and  "Jerusalem  "  in  relation  to 
do6lrine.  The  establishment  of  the  church  among  the  nations  is 
described  by  these  words,  "but  he  shall  speak  peace  to  the 
nations ;  return  to  the  stronghold,  ye  prisoners  of  hope ;  and  I 
will  bend  Judah  to  me,  and  with  the  bow  I  will  fill  Ephraim,  and 
I  will  stir  up  thy  sons,  O  Zion,"  which  signifies  that  the  church  is 
to  be  established  among  those  who  are  in  good  of  love  to  the  Lord, 
and  in  truths  therefrom,  "peace"  signifying  that  good,  "Judah" 
those  who  are  in  that  good,  and  "  Ephraim  "  those  who  are  in 
understanding  of  truth  from  it ;  it  is  therefore  said  of  Ephraim, 
"with  the  bow  He  will  fill  him,"  that  is,  with  the  do6lrine  of  truth. 
Their  enlightenment  in  truths  is  described  by  these  words,  "  His 
dart  shall  go  forth  as  lightning;  and  the  Lord  Jehovih  shall 
blow  with  the  trumpet,  and  He  shall  go  in  the  whirlwinds  of 
the  south;"  the  "dart  that  shall  go  forth  as  lightning"  signifies 
truth  enlightened,  thus  truth  from  good  of  love ;  "  He  shall  blow 
with  the  trumpet"  signifies  clear  perception  of  good ;  and  "the 
whirlwinds  of  the  south"  signify  clear  understanding  of  truth, 
"the  south"  meaning  the  light  of  truth.  This  treats  of  the  Lord, 
thus  that  these  things  are  from  the  Lord.     [2.]    In  Moses : 

"The  son  of  a  fruitful  one  is  Joseph,  the  son  of  a  fruitful  one  near  a 


CHAP.    VI.,  VERSE    2. — N.  357[/5].  689 

fountain  ;  the  daughters  (he  walketh  upon  the  wall),  they  shall 
provoke  him,  and  shall  shoot  at  him  ;  the  archers  shall  hate  him ; 
and  he  shall  sit  in  the  strength  of  his  bow,  and  the  arms  of  his 
hands  shall  be  strengthened  by  the  hands  of  the  Mighty  One  of 
Jacob ;  thence  is  he  the  shepherd,  the  stone  of  Israel "  (Gen.  xlix. 
22-24). 

"Joseph,"  in  the  highest  sense,  signifies  the  Lord  in  relation  to 
the  spiritual  kingdom.  There  are  two  kingdoms  of  heaven  :  one 
called  the  celestial  kingdom,  and  the  other  the  spiritual  kingdom  \ 
the  celestial  kingdom  is  described  in  the  prophecy  respe6ling 
Judah,  and  the  spiritual  kingdom  in  this  respecting  Joseph.  Those 
who  are  in  the  Lord's  celestial  kingdom  are  in  good  of  love  to 
Him,  which  is  called  celestial  good  ;  and  those  who  are  in  the 
Lord's  spiritual  kingdom  are  in  good  of  love  to  the  neighbor,  and 
in  truths  therefrom  ;  and  it  is  because  all  truths  go  forth  from  the 
Lord  through  the  spiritual  kingdom  that  Joseph  is  called  "  the 
son  of  a  fruitful  one,  the  son  of  a  fruitful  one  near  a  fountain," 
"a  fruitful  one"  signifies  spiritual  good,  which  is  the  good  of 
charity,  "son"  signifies  truth  from  that  good,  and  "a  fountain" 
signifies  the  Word  ;  combat  against  evils  and  falsities  is  described 
by  "the  daughters  shall  provoke  him,  and  shoot  at  him,  and  the 
archers  shall  hate  him,"  "daughters"  signifying  those  who  are  in 
evils  and  who  wish  by  falsities  to  destroy  goods ;  those  who  as- 
sault by  evils  are  signified  by  "they  shall  shoot,"  and  those  who 
assault  by  falsities  of  evil  by  "the  archers"  who  shall  hate  him. 
The  Lord's  vi6lory  over  them  is  described  by  these  words,  "  and 
he  shall  sit  in  the  strength  of  his  bow,  and  the  arms  of  his  hands 
shall  be  strengthened  by  the  hands  of  the  Mighty  One  of  Jacob; 
thence  is  he  the  shepherd,  the  stone  of  Israel,"  "to  sit  in  the 
strength  of  the  bow"  signifies  to  be  in  the  doctrine  of  genuine 
truth,  and  "the  arms  of  his  hands  shall  be  strengthened  by  the 
hands  of  the  Mighty  One  of  Jacob"  signifies  the  power  they 
have  from  the  Lord,  "the  arms  of  the  hands"  meaning  power,  and 
"the  Mighty  One  of  Jacob"  the  Lord,  who  is  also  called  "the 
shepherd,  the  stone  of  Israel,"  from  the  do6lrine  of  charity  and 

thus  of  faith   which   is   from    Him.      (That  "  Joseph  "  inthe  highest  sense 
signifies  the  Lord  in  relation  to  the  Divine  spiritual,  and  in  the  internal  sense  His 
spiritual  kingdom,  see  A.C.,  n.  3969,  3971,  4669,  6417 ;   and  what  else  he  signifies, 
n.  4286,  4592,  4963,  5086,  5087,  5106,  5249,  5307,  5869,  5877,  6224,  6526.) 
[fe«]    [3.]    In  the  Second  Book  of  Samuel: 

"  David  lamented ....  over  Saul  and  over  Jonathan  his  son,  and  wrote, 
To  teach  the  sons  of  Judah  the  bow  "  (i.  17,  18). 

That  lamentation  treats  of  the  combat  of  truth  from  good  against 
falsity   from   evil;   for  "Saul"  as  a  king  here  signifies  truth 


690  ATOCALYPSE  EXPLAINED. 

from  good,  for  such  tiuth  is  meant  by  "king"  in  the  Word  ,scc 
above,  n.  31) ;  and  "Jonathan,"  as  the  son  of  a  king,  signifies  truth 
of  do6lrine;  therefore  he  wrote  the  lamentation,  "To  teach  the 
sons  of  Judah  the  bow,"  which  signifies  to  teach  them  the  do6lrine 
of  truth  that  is  from  good.  The  combat  of  that  truth  against  fals- 
ities and  evils  is  described  in  that  lamentation  by  these  words : 

"  Without  the  blood  of  the  pierced,  without  the  fat  of  the  mighty,  the  bow 
of  Jonathan  returned  not  back,  and  the  sword  of  Saul  returned  not 
empty"  (verse  22). 

"  The  blood  of  the  pierced ' '  signifies  falsities  conquered  and  dis- 
persed ;  "the  fat  of  the  mighty"  signifies  evils  conquered  and 
dispersed.  That  these  are  conquered  and  dispersed  by  do6lrine 
of  truth  that  is  from  good  is  signified  by  "the  bow  of  Jonathan 
returned  not  back,  and  the  sword  of  Saul  returned  not  empty," 
"the  bow  of  Jonathan"  meaning  do6lrine,  and  "the  sword  of 
Saul "  truth  from  good.     [4.]    In  David : 

God  "teacheth  my  hands  war  and  placeth  a  bow  of  brass  in  mine  arms" 
{Psalm  xviii.  34). 

"War"  here  signifies  war  in  a  spiritual  sense,  which  is  war  against 
evils  and  falsities;  this  is  the  war  that  God  teaches;  and  "bow 
of  brass  "  signifies  doctrine  of  charity  ;  God  places  this  in  the  arms, 
that  is,  makes  it  to  prevail.     [5.]    In  Isaiah  : 

"Who  hath  stirred  up  one  from  the  east,  whom  He  hath  called  in  right- 
eousness to  His  train,  hath  given  the  nations  before  him,  and  made 
him  to  rule  over  kings,  hath  given  them  as  the  dust  to  his  sword, 
and  as  stubble  driven  by  his  bow  ?"  (xli.  2.) 

This  is  said  of  the  Lord  and  of  His  dominion  over  evils  and  falsi- 
ties;  the  "nations,"  that  He  gave  before  Him,  signify  evils;  and 
the  "kings,"  over  whom  He  made  Him  to  rule,  signify  falsities; 
that  He  disperses  evils  and  falsities  as  if  they  were  nothing,  by  His 
Divine  truth  and  by  dodlrine  therefrom,  is  signified  by  "  He  gave 
them  as  dust  to  his  sword,  and  as  stubble  driven  by  his  bow," 
"his  sword"  meaning  Divine  truth,  and  "his  bow,"  do6lrine. 
That  evils  and  falsities  are  dispersed  as  if  they  were  nothing,  is 
signified  by  "as  dust,"  and  "as  driven  stubble."  It  is  said  that 
evils  and  falsities  are  thus  dispersed,  but  it  is  meant  that  those 
who  are  in  evils  and  in  falsities  therefrom  are  thus  dispersed  in 
the  other  life.     [6.]    In  Zechariah  : 

"Jehovah  [of  Hosts]  shall  visit  His  flock,  the  house  of  Judah,  and  shall 
set  them  as  the  horse  of  His  glory  in  war.  Out  of  him  shall  be 
the  corner,  out  of  him  the  nail,  out  of  him  the  bow  of  war"  (x.  3,  4). 

This  may  be  seen  explained  in  the  preceding  article  which  treats 


CHAP.    VI.,    VERSE    2. — N.   357[^].  69 1 

of  the  signiticatioa  of  "  the  horse ;"  "  bow  of  war  "  signifying  truth 
combating  from  do6lrine.     [7.]    In  Habakkuk: 

"  Was  Jehovah  displeased  with  the  rivers?  was  Thine  anger  against  the 
rivers  ?  was  Thy  wrath  against  the  sea,  that  Thou  dost  ride  upon 
Thine  horses,  Thy  chariots  salvation  ?  With  bareness  shall  Thy 
bow  be  made  bare  "  (iii.  8,  9). 

This,  too,  was  explained  in  the  preceding  article ;  "  Thy  bow  shall 
be  made  bare "  signifying  that  do6lrine  of  truth  shall  be  opened. 
[8.]    In  Isaiah: 

"  Before  the  swords  shall  they  wander,  before  the  drawn  sword,  and 
before  the  bended  bow  ;  and  for  the  grievousness  of  the  war. .  .  .all 
the  glory  of  Kedar  shall  be  consumed,  and  the  residue  of  the  num- 
ber of  the  bow  of  the  mighty  of  the  sons  of  Kedar  shall  be  few  " 
(xxi.  15-17). 

This  treats  in  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  knowledges  of  good  as 
about  to  perish,  and  that  few  are  to  remain ;  "  Kedar,"  that  is, 
Arabia,  signifies  those  who  are  in  knowledges  of  good,  and  in 
an  abstradl  sense  such  knowledges  themselves.  That  knowledges 
of  truth  are  to  perish  through  falsities  and  the  doctrine  of  falsity, 
is  signified  by,  "  Before  the  swords  shall  they  wander,  before  the 
drawn  sword,  and  before  the  bended  bow,"  "sword"  meaning 
falsity  combating  and  destroying,  and  "  bow"  the  do6lrine  of  fals- 
ity. That  the  knowledges  of  good  are  to  perish  is  signified  by 
these  words,  "for  the  grievousness  of  the  war  all  the  glory  of  Ke- 
dar shall  be  consumed,"  "the  grievousness  of  war"  meaning  as- 
sault, and  "all  the  glory  of  Kedar  shall  be  consumed"  meaning 
vastation.  And  that  few  knowledges  are  to  remain  is  indicated 
by  "the  residue  of  the  number  of  the  bow  of  the  mighty  of  the 
sons  of  Kedar  shall  be  few,"  "bow  of  the  mighty"  meaning  doc- 
trine of  truth  from  the  knowledges  that  prevail  against  falsities. 
[9.]    In  the  same, 

"  He  hath  made  my  mouth  like  a  sharp  sword  ; He  hath  made  me  a 

polished  dart ;  in  His  quiver  hath  He  hid  me  "  (xlix.  2). 

This  also  treats  of  the  Lord;  and  "sharp  sword"  signifies  truth 
dispersing  falsity;  "polished  dart"  truth  dispersing  evil;  and 
"quiver  "  the  Word  :  this  makes  clear  what  is  signified  by  "  He  hath 
made  my  mouth  like  a  sharp  sword,"  and  "He  hath  made  me  a 
polished  dart,  and  in  His  quiver  hath  He  hid  me,"  namely,  that 
in  the  Lord  and  from  Him  is  the  Divine  truth,  by  means  of  which 
falsities  and  evils  are  dispersed,  and  that  in  Him  and  from  Him  is 
the  Word,  where  and  whence  these  truths  are.     [10.]    In  David  : 

"  Lo,  sons  are  an  heritage  of  Jehovah ;  the  fruit  of  the  womb  is  His  re- 
ward.    As  darts  in  the  hands  of  a  mighty  man,  so  are  the  sons  of 


692  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

youth.  Happy  is  the  man  that  hath  his  quiver  full  of  them  ;  they 
shall  not  be  ashamed  when  they  speak  with  enemies  in  the  gate  " 
(Psalm  cxxvii.  3-5). 

"Sons,"  that  are  an  heritage  of  Jehovah,  signify  truths  by  which 
there  is  intelligence;  the  "fruit  of  the  womb,"  that  is  His  reward, 
signifies  goods,  by  which  there  is  happiness ;  "sons  of  youth,"  that 
are  as  darts  in  the  hand  of  a  mighty  man,  signify  the  truths  of 
the  good  of  innocence ;  because  nothing  evil  or  false  can  resist 
these  truths,  it  is  said  that  they  are  "as  darts  in  the  hand  of  a  mighty 
man."  The  good  of  innocence  is  good  of  love  to  the  Lord  ;  be- 
cause these  truths  have  such  power  it  is  said,  "  Happy  is  the  man 
that  hath  his  quiver  full  of  them,"  "quiver"  here  having  the  same 
signification  as  "bow,"  namely,  do(5lrine  from  the  Word.  "  They 
shall  not  be  ashamed  when  they  speak  with  enemies  in  the  gate  " 
signifies  that  there  shall  be  no  fear  because  of  evils  from  the  hells, 
"  enemies  "  meaning  evils,  and  "  gate  "  hell  (see  Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  428, 
429.583-585)-     [II.]    In  the  same, 

"  The  sons  of  Ephraim,  who  were  armed,  shooters  of  the  bow,  turned 
back  in  the  day  of  battle.  They  kept  not  the  covenant  of  God" 
{Psalm  Ixxviii.  9,  10). 

"  Ephraim  "  here,  as  above,  signifies  understanding  of  truth,  and 
his  "  sons "  truths  themselves ;  therefore  they  are  also  called 
"shooters  of  the  bow,"  that  is,  fighters  against  evils  and  falsities. 
That  they  did  not  resist  these  because  they  were  not  con- 
joined to  the  Lord,  is  here  signified  by  "they  turned  back  in  the 
day  of  battle,  because  they  did  not  keep  the  covenant  of  God," 
"covenant"  meaning  conjun6lion,  and  "not  keeping  it"  meaning 
not  to  live  according  to  the  truths  and  goods  that  conjoin. 

[c]  [12.]  From  the  passages  cited  it  can  be  seen  that  a 
"  bow "  signifies  the  do6lrine  of  truth  combating  against  falsities 
and  evils  and  dispersing  them.  That  this  is  the  signification  ol 
"  bow  "  can  be  seen  further  from  its  contrary  sense,  in  which  "  bow  " 
signifies  the  do6lrine  of  falsity  fighting  against  truths  and  goods 
and  destroying  them;  and  "darts"  and  "arrows"  its  falsities 
themselves.  In  this  sense  "bow"  is  mentioned  in  the  following 
passages.     In  David  : 

"  Lo,  the  wicked  bend  the  bow,  they  make  ready  their  arrow  upon  the 
string,  that  they  may  shoot  in  darkness  at  the  upright  in  heart " 
(Psalm  xi.  2). 

"The  wicked  bend  the  bow"  signifies  that  they  frame  do6lrine ; 
"they  make  ready  the  arrow  upon  the  string"  signifies  that  they 
work  into  it  falsities  that  appear  as  truths  ;  "to  shoot  in  darkness 


CHAP.   VI.,   VERSE    2. — N.   357[^].  693 

at  the  upright  in  heart"  signifies  to  deceive  those  who  are  in  truths 
from  good  ;  "  bow  "  here  meaning  do6lrine  of  falsity,  "  arrow  "  the 
falsity  itself;  "to  shoot"  meaning  to  deceive,  and  "darkness"  ap- 
pearances ;  for  such  as  these  reason  from  appearances  in  the  world 
and  from  fallacies,  also  by  the  application  of  the  sense  of  the  letter 
of  the  Word.     [13.]    In  the  same, 

"The  wicked  draw  out  the  sword,  and  bend  their  bow,  to  cast  down  the 

miserable  and  needy Their  sword  shall  enter   their  own 

heart,  and  their  bows  shall  be  broken"  {Psalm  xxxvii.  14,  15). 

"Sword"  signifies  falsity  fighting  against  truth,  and  "bow"  sig- 
nifies the  dodrine  of  falsity  ;  "  to  cast  down  the  miserable  and  the 
needy "  signifies  to  pervert  those  who  are  in  ignorance  of  truth 
and  good  ;  "their  sword  shall  enter  into  their  own  heart "  signifies 
that  they  shall  perish  by  their  own  falsity  ;  and  "their  bows  shall 
be  broken  "  signifies  that  their  dodlrine  of  falsity  shall  be  dispersed, 
which  takes  place  after  their  departure  from  the  world  ;  then  fals- 
ities destroy  them,  and  so  far  as  they  have  applied  truths  to  falsi- 
ties their  doctrine  is  dispersed.    [14.]    In  the  same, 

"  Who  whet  their  tongue  like  a  sword,  and  draw  their  arrow  with  a  bitter 
word,  that  they  may  shoot  in  secret  places  at  the  perfect:  "  (Psalm 
Ixiv.  3,  4). 

Because  "sword"  signifies  falsity  fighting  against  truth,  it  is  said, 
"who  whet  their  tongue  like  a  sword ;"  and  because  "arrow"  sig- 
nifies falsity  of  do6lrine,  it  is  said  "  they  draw  their  arrow  with  a 
bitter  word;"  "to  shoot  in  secret  places  at  the  perfe6l"  signifies 
the  same  as  "to  shoot  in  darkness  at  the  upright  in  heai't,"  just 
before,  namely,  to  deceive  those  who  are  in  truths  from  good. 
[15.]    In  yeremiah  : 

"They  are  all  adulterers,  an  assembly  of  treacherous  men,  who  bend 
their  tongue  ;  their  bow  is  a  lie,  neither  in  the  truth  have  they  pre- 
vailed in  the  land ;  for  they  proceed  from  evil  to  evil,  neither  have 
they  known  Me  "  (ix.  2,  3). 

"Adulterers,  an  assembly  of  treacherous  men,"  mean  those  who 
falsify  knowledges  of  truth  and  good,  "adulterers"  meaning  those 
who  falsify  knowledges  of  truth,  and  "treacherous  men"  those 
who  falsify  knowledges  of  good  ;  of  these  it  is  said  that  "  tliey  bend 
the  tongue,"  and  that  "their  bow  is  a  lie,"  "bow"  meaning  the 
do6lrine  from  which  principles  of  falsity  are  derived,  and  "lie" 
meaning  falsity ;  it  is  therefore  added,  "  neither  in  the  truth  have 
they  prevailed  in  the  land,"  that  is,  in  the  church  where  genuine 
truths  are  ;  that  those  who  are  in  a  life  of  evil  and  do  not  acknow- 


594  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

ledge  the  Lord  arc  such,  is  signified  by,  "for  they  proceed  from 
evil  to  evil,  neither  have  they  known  Me."     fi6.]    In  yeremiah: 

"  Behold,  I . . .  cause  to  come  up  against  Babylon  an  assembly  of  great  na- 
tions from  the  land  of  the  north  ;.  .  .  .their  arrows  as  of  a  mighty 

one,  none  shall  return  vain Set  yourselves  in  array  against 

Babylon  round  about,  all  ye  that  bend  the  bow,  shoot  against  her, 
spare  not  the  arrows  ;.  . .  .make  the  shooters  heard  against  Baby- 
lon, all  that  bend  the  bow  encamp  against  her  round  about ;  let 
there  be  no  escape  for  her"  (1.  9,  14,  29,  42  ;  11.  3). 

This  describes  the  total  devastation  of  truth  with  those  who  are 
meant  by  Babylon,  who  are  those  that  arrogate  to  themselves  Di- 
vine power,  and  who  acknowledge  the  Lord,  indeed,  but  take 
away  from  Him  all  power  to  save,  and  who  thus  profane  Divine 
truths ;  and  as  the  Lord  as  far  as  possible  provides  that  genuine 
truths  be  not  profaned,  these  truths  are  wholly  taken  away  froin 
them,  and  they  are  imbued  instead  with  mere  falsities.  "An 
assembly  of  great  nations  from  the  land  of  the  north  "  signifies 
direful  evils  rising  up  out  of  hell,  "great  nations"  meaning  dire- 
ful evils,  and  "land  of  the  north"  the  hell  where  there  is  nothing 
but  falsity ;  "  their  arrows  as  of  a  mighty  one,  none  shall  return 
vain,"  signifies  that  they  shall  be  imbued  with  mere  falsities  from 
hell ;  "set  yourselves  in  array  against  Babylon  round  about,  all  ye 
that  bend  the  bow,  shoot  against  her,  spare  not  the  arrows,"  sig- 
nifies devastation  in  relation  also  to  all  dodlrinals  ;  the  total  devas- 
tation of  truth  with  such  is  signified  by  "all  that  bend  the  bow 
encamp  against  her  round  about ;  let  there  be  no  escape  for  her." 
[17.]    In  Isaiah: 

"  I  stir  up  against  them  the  Medes,  who  will  not  value  silver,  and  in  gold 
they  will  not  delight ;  whose  bows  will  strike  the  young  men,  and 
they  will  have  no  pity  on  the  fruit  of  the  womb  :  ....  so  shall  Baby- 
lon be, ....  as  the  overthrowing  of  God,  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  " 
(xiii.  17-19). 

This  also  is  said  of  Babylon,  and  of  the  devastation  of  all  tnmgs 
of  the  church  with  those  who  are  meant  by  Babylon  (of  which  just 
above).  "  The  Medes  "  signify  those  who  make  nothing  of  the 
truths  and  goods  of  heaven  and  the  church ;  therefore  it  is  said 
of  them,  "  who  will  not  value  silver,  and  in  gold  they  will  not  de- 
light," "silver"  signifying  truth,  and  "gold"  good,  both  of  the 
church  ;  "  their  bows  will  strike  the  young  men,  and  they  will  have 
no  pity  on  the  fruit  of  the  womb,"  signifies  the  dodrinals  that  de- 
stroy all  truth  and  thus  all  good,  "  young  men  "  signifying  truths, 
and  "the  fruit  of  the  womb"  goods;  and  because  all  evil  with 
such  is  from  the  love  of  self,  and  all  falsity  is  from  that  evil,  and 
because  that  evil  and  thus  that  falsity  are  condemned  to  hell,  it  is 
said,  "so  shall  Babylon  be,  as  the  overthrowing  of  God,  Sodom 


CHAP.   VI.,   VERSE    2. — N.   357[f].  695 

and  Gomorrah,"  "  the  overthrowino-  of  God"  signifying  damna- 
tion to  hell,  and  "Sodoni  and  Gomorrah"  signifying  evils  from 
the  love  of  self  and  the  falsities  therelrom.  (That  this  is  the  sig- 
nification of  "  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,"  see  A.C.,  n.  2220,  2246,  2322.)      [18.]     In 

the  same, 

"  In  that  day  every  place  in  which  there  were  a  thousand  vines  for  a  thou- 
sand of  silver  shall  be  a  place  of  briars  and  brambles.  With  ar- 
row and  with  bow  shall  one  come  thither,  because  the  whole  land 
shall  be  a  place  of  briers  and  brambles"  (vii.  23,  24). 

The  church  vastated  in  relation  to  every  truth  and  good  is  thus  de- 
scribed ;  what  the  church  had  been  before,  namely,  that  genuine 
truths,  which  are  truths  from  good,  had  been  there  in  abundance,  is 
described  by  "  in  which  there  were  a  thousand  vines  for  a  thou- 
sand of  silver,"  "  a  thousand  vines"  meaning  truths  from  good  in 
abundance,  "a  thousand  of  silver"  meaning  that  these  are  most 
highly  esteemed  because  they  are  genuine,  "  silver  "  meaning  truth, 
and  "a  thousand "  many,  thus  in  abundance.  But  what  the  church 
became  when  vastated  in  respedl  to  every  truth  and  good  is  de- 
scribed by  these  words,  "With  arrow  and  with  bow  shall  one  come 
thither,  because  the  whole  land  shall  be  a  place  of  briers  and 
brainbles,"  "  arrow  "  meaning  falsity  destroying  truth,  and  "  bow  " 
the  dodlrine  of  falsity,  "a  place  of  thorns"  signifying  falsity  from 
evil,  and  "a  place  of  brambles"  evil  from  falsity;  "land"  means 
the  church.    [19.]    In  yeremiah: 

"  Behold,  a  people  cometh  from  the  land  of  the  north,  and  a  great 
nation  shall  be  stirred  up  from  the  sides  of  the  earth.  They  lay 
hold  on  bow  and  spear  ;  they  are  cruel,  and  have  no  mercy  ;  their 
voice  resoundeth  like  the  sea  ;  and  they  ride  upon  horses  prepared 
as  a  man  for  war,  against  thee,  O  daughter  of  Zion  "  (vi.  22,  23). 

This,  too,  describes  the  devastation  of  the  church  by  falsities  of 
€vil;  what  "a  people  from  the  land  of  the  north"  signifies,  and 
"a  great  nation  from  the  sides  of  the  earth,"  also  what  "their  voice 
resoundeth  like  the  sea,"  and  "they  ride  upon  horses,"  signify, 
was  explained  in  the  preceding  article  ;  "  they  lay  hold  on  bow  and 
spear"  signifies  [that  they  fight  from  false  dodrine,  "  bow  "  signi- 
fying] falsity  of  do6lrine  destroying  truth,  and  "spear"  falsity  of 
evil  destroying  good,  "daughter  of  Zion"  meaning  the  church. 
[20.]    In  the  same, 

'*  The  whole  land  is  a  desolation  ;.  . .  .for  the  voice  of  the  horseman  and 
of  the  bowmen  the  whole  city  fleeth  ;  they  have  entered  the  clouds, 
they  have  ascended  into  the  rocks,  the  whole  city  is  deserted,  no 
one  dwelling  therein  "  (iv.  27,  29). 

This,  too,  can  be  seen  explained  in  the  preceding  article.  "  The 
voice  of  the  horseman  and  of  the  bowmen"  signifies  reasonings 


696  APOCALVrSli    EXPLAINED. 

from  falsities,  and  assaults  upon  truth;  "bowmen,"  that  is,  those 
who  hold  the  bow,  are  those  who  assault  truths  from  falsities  of 
do(5lrine ;  therefore  it  is  said  "the  whole  city  fleeth,"  and  "the 
whole  city  is  deserted,"  "city"  signifying  the  dodlrine  of  the 
church.     [21.]    In  Isaiah  : 

Jehovah  "  hath  lifted  up  an  ensign  to  the  nations  from  afar,  . . .  and  be- 
hold the  swift  one  shall  come  quickly,  ....  his  arrows  are  sharp, 
and  all  his  bows  bent ;  the  hoofs  of  his  horses  are  accounted  as 
rock,  and  his  wheels  as  a  whirlwind  "  (v.  26,  28). 

"His  arrows  are  sharp,"  and  "all  his  bows  bent,"  signify  falsities 
of  do6trine  prepared  to  destroy  truths.  What  is  signified  by  "the 
nations  from  afar,"  and  by  "the  hoofs  of  the  horses  "  that  are  ac- 
counted as  rock,  and  by  "the  wheels"  that  are  like  a  whirlwind, 
may  be  seen  in  the  article  just  above  (n.  355[/]),  where  they  are 
explained.     [22.]    \\\  Atnos : 

"  He  that  holdeth  the  bow  shall  not  stand,  nor  shall  the  swift  of  foot  de- 
liver  himself,  nor  shall  he  that  rideth  upon  the  horse  deliver  his 
soul,  but  he  that  is  strong  in  his  heart  among  the  mighty  shall 
flee  naked  in  that  day"  (ii.  15,  16). 

This  describes  self-intelligence,  and  thus  confidence  from  an  ability 
to  reason  from  falsities  against  truths  ;  "he  that  handleth  the  bow 
shall  not  stand,  nor  shall  the  swift  of  foot  deliver  himself,"  signifies 
that  one  who  knows  how  to  reason  readily  and  skilfully  from 
dodlrine  and  memory  that  belong  to  the  natural  man,  can  have  no 
regard  at  all  for  his  salvation,  nor  stand  in  the  day  of  judgment  ; 
the  same  is  signified  by  "  he  that  rideth  upon  the  horse  shall  not 
deliver  his  soul."  "He  that  is  strong  in  his  heart  shall  flee 
[naked]  in  that  day  "  signifies  that  he  who  trusts  in  himself  because 
of  an  ability  to  reason  from  falsities  shall  then  be  deprived  of  all 
truth;  "the  strong  in  heart"  meaning  one  who  trusts  in  himself 
on  that  account,  and  "  naked  "  signifying  one  deprived  of  all  truth. 
[«!•]    [23.]  In  David : 

"  God  is  a  righteous  judge,  a  God  that  is  angry  all  the  day  ;  if  the  [evil] 
man  hath  not  returned  He  hath  sharpened  His  sword,  He  hath 
bent  His  bow  and  direcfted  it,  and  hath  prepared  for  him  the  instru- 
ments of  death.  He  maketh  His  arrows  burning"  {Psalm  vii.  11-13). 

Jt  is  here  attributed  to  God  that  He  is  angry  with  the  wicked,, 
that  he  sharpens  His  sword,  that  He  bends  and  dire6ls  His  bow, 
prepares  instruments  of  death,  and  makes  His  arrows  burning  ; 
but  in  the  spiritual  sense  it  is  meant  that  man  does  this  in  respe<5l 
to  himself  These  things  are  attributed  to  God  in  the  sense  of  the 
letter,  because  that  sense  is  natural,  and  is  for  the  natural  man 
who  believes  that  for  these  reasons  God  is  to  be  feared ;  and  with 
him  fear  works  as  love  works  afterwards,  when  he  becomes  spirit- 


CHAP.   VI.,  VER.SE    2. — N.   357[</].  697 

ual.  This  makes  clear  what  these  words  signify,  namely,  that  it  is 
the  evil  man  who  is  angry  with  God,  that  he  sharpens  the  sword 
against  himself,  and  bends  the  bow  and  dire6ls  it,  prepares  the 
instruments  of  death,  and  makes  his  arrows  burning.  "  Pie  sharp- 
eneth  the  sword  "  signifies  that  he  acquires  for  himself  falsity, 
by  which  he  combats  against  truths  ;  "  He  bendeth  the  bow  and 
dire6leth  it"  signifies  that  from  falsities  he  frames  for  himself 
do(5trine  opposed  to  truths  ;  and  "  he  prepareth  the  instruments 
of  death,  and  maketh  His  arrows  burning,"  signifies  that  from  in- 
fernal love  he  frames  for  himself  principles  of  falsity  by  which  he 
destroys  good  and  its  truths.     [24.]    In  Lame7itaHons : 

The  Lord  "  hath  bent  His  bow  like  an  enemy  ;  He  hath  stood  with  His 
right  hand  as  an  adversary  ;  He  hath  slain  all  things  desirable  to 
the  eyes"  (ii.  4). 

Here,  too,  like  things  are  attributed  to  the  Lord,  for  the  same  rea- 
son as  above  ;  "  He  bends  His  bow  like  an  enemy,  and  stands  with 
His  right  hand  as  an  adversary,"  signifies  that  the  evil  man  does 
this  in  respect  to  himself,  namely,  defends  evil  against  good,  and 
falsity  against  the  truths  of  good  from  doctrine  that  he  has  framed 
or  himself  out  of  self- intelligence  and  corroborated  by  the  sense 
of  the  letter  of  the  Word ;  for  in  Lamentations  the  A^astation  of 
all  good  and  all  truth  with  the  Jewish  nation,  from  their  applying 
the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word  to  the  san6lion  of  their  own 
loves,  is  treated  of;  "bow"  here  meaning  the  doctrine  of  falsity 
therefrom,  "enemy"  evil,  and  "adversary"  falsity.  That  in  con- 
sequence all  understanding  of  truth  and  good  would  perish,  is 
signified  by  "  the  Lord  hath  slain  all  things  desirable  to  the  eyes," 
"things  desirable  to  the  eyes  "  meaning  all  things  that  are  of  intel- 
ligence and  wisdom.     [25.]    In  Moses  : 

"A  fire  hath  been  kindled  in  mine  anger, ....  and  it  shall  consume  the 
earth  and  its  produce,  and  shall  set  on  fire  the  foundations  of  the 
mountains.  I  will  empty  out  evils  upon  them  ;  I  will  spend  mine 
arrows  upon  them  "  {Deut.  xxxii.  22,  23). 

This  is  from  the  song  of  Moses,  which  treats  of  the  Israelitish  and 
Jewish  nation,  and  describes  what  they  were  in  their  hearts, 
namely,  that  there  was  nothing  of  the  church  with  them  because 
there  was  with  them  mere  falsity  from  evil ;  "  the  earth  and  its 
produce,"  that  is  to  be  consumed,  signifies  the  church,  and  all  the 
truth  and  good  thereof,  "the  earth"  signifying  the  church,  and 
"  produce  "  all  truth  and  good  thereof  "  The  foundations  of  the 
mountains,"  that  are  to  be  set  on  fire,  signify  truths  upon  which 
goods  of  love  are  based,  in  particular  the  truths  of  the  sense 
of  the  letter  of  the  Word,  since  these  are  the  foundations  ;  the 


■698  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

"evils"  that  are  to  be  emptied  out  u[)()n  them,  and  the  "arrows" 
that  are  to  be  spent  upon  them,  signify  that  they  shall  be  imbued 

vvitll  all  evils  and  falsities.  (What  that  nation  was  from  the  beginning,  and  also 
\vh:it  it  is  at  this  day,  may  be  seen  in   Do6lriiie  of  the  Ne'w  jfenisalem,  n.  248.) 

[26.]    In  the  First  Book  of  Sa^miel : 

"The  bows  of  the  mighty  are  broken,  but  they  who  had  been  driven 
have  girded  strength  about  them  "  (ii.  4). 

This  is  a  prophecy  of  Hannah,  the  mother  of  Samuel,  which  treats 
of  the  taking  away  of  truth  with  those  who  are  of  the  church,  be- 
cause they  are  in  no  spiritual  afifeflion  for  truth  ;  also  of  the  recep- 
tion and  enlightenment  of  those  who  are  outside  of  the  church, 
because  they  are  in  a  spiritual  afifeftion  for  truth.  That  the  doc- 
trines of  falsities  that  are  held  by  those  who  are  of  the  church 
are  of  no  account,  is  signified  by  "the  bows  of  the  mighty  are 
broken ;"  and  the  reception  and  enlightenment  of  those  who  are 
outside  of  the  church  are  signified  by  "they  who  had  been  driven 
have  girded  strength  about  them  ;"  those  are  called  "driven,"  who 
are  pressed  by  the  falsities  of  ignorance,  and  "  strength "  is  pre- 
dicated of  power  and  abundance  of  truth  from  good.  [27.]  In 
JereTniah : 

"  Behold,  I  break  the  bow  of  Elam,  the  beginning  of  his  power"  (xlix.  35). 

"Elam"  means  the  knowledge  {scie?ttia)  belonging  to  the  natural 
man,  and  consequent  confidence  ;  his  "bow"  signifies  knowledge 
{scientia)  from  which  as  from  doctrine  he  fights  ;  and  "  the  begin- 
ning of  his  power"  signifies  confidence  ;  for  knowledge  {scientia)  is 
of  no  avail  if  it  does  not  serve  the  rational  and  the  spiritual  man. 
That  "Elam"  means  knowledge  belonging  to  the  natural  man 
can  be  seen  from  those  passages  in  the  Word  in  which  "  Elam  "  is 
mentioned 

(as  Gen.  x,  22  ;  Isa.  xxi.  2  ;  Jer.  xxv.  24-26 ;  xlix.  34-39 ;  Ezek.  xxxii.  24, 25). 

[28.]    In  David  : 

Jehovah  "  maketh  wars  to  cease  even  to  the  end  of  the  earth  ;  He  break- 
eth  the  bow,  and  cutteth  the  spear  asunder  ;  He  burneth  the  char- 
iots with  fire  "  {Psalm  xlvi.  9). 

From  "wars"  signifying  spiritual  combats,  which  are  here  of  fals- 
ify against  the  truth  and  against  the  good  of  the  church,  it  is  clear 
what  is  signified  by  "Jehovah  will  make  wars  to  cease  even  to  the 
end  of  the  earth,"  namely,  that  from  firsts  to  outmosts  of  the  truth 
of  the  church  all  combat  and  disagreement  shall  cease,  "the  end  of 
the  earth  "  signifying  the  outmosts  of  the  church.  That  there  shall 
be  no  combat  of  do6lrine  against  do6lrine  is  signified  by  "He  shall 
break  the  bow  ;"  that  there  shall  be  no  combat  from  any  falsity  of 


CHAP.  VL,  VERSE   2. — N.  357[/]-  699 

evil  is  signified  by,  "  He  shall  cut  the  spear  asunder ;"  and  that 
everything  of  the  dodlrine  of  falsities  shall  be  destroyed  by,  "  He 
shall  burn  the  chariots  with  fire."     [29.]    In  the  same, 

"In  Salem  is  the  tabernacle"  of  Jehovah,  "and  His  dwelling  place  in 
Zion.  There  brake  He  the  strings  of  the  bow,  the  shield,  and  the 
sword,  and  war"  (Psalm  Ixxvi.  2,  3). 

This  treats  likewise  of  the  cessation  of  all  combat  and  all  disagree- 
ment in  the  Lord's  kingdom  ;  "  Salem  "  where  Jehovah's  taber- 
nacle is,  and  "Zion"  where  His  dwelling  place  is,  signify  His  spir- 
itual kingdom  and  His  celestial  kingdom  ;  "Salem"  the  spiritual 
kingdom  where  genuine  truth  is,  and  "  Zion  "  the  celestial  king- 
dom where  genuine  good  is  ;  and  "  He  shall  break  the  strings  of 
the  bow,  the  shield,  the  sword,  and  war,"  signifies  that  all  com- 
bat of  the  falsities  of  dodlrine  against  good  and  truth  shall  be 
ended;  "strings  of  a  bow"  meaning  the  principal  things  of  doc- 
trine.    [30.]    In  Hosea: 

"  In  that  day  will  I  make  a  covenant  for  them  with  the  beast  of  the  field 
and  with  the  bird  of  the  heavens,  and  with  the  creeping  thing  of 
the  earth  ;  and  I  will  break  the  bow  and  the  sword  and  war  from 
the  earth,  and  I  will  make  them  to  lie  down  securely  "  (ii.  18). 

This  treats  of  the  Lord's  coming  and  His  conjundtion  at  that  time 
with  all  who  are  in  truths  from  good;  "the  covenant  with  the 
beast  of  the  field,  with  the  bird  of  the  heavens,  and  with  the  creep- 
ing thing  of  the  earth,"  signifies  conjun6i:ion  with  affedlion  for  good, 
affedlion  for  truth,  and  afifeflion  for  knowledges  of  the  truth  and 
good  of  the  church  that  those  have ;  for  "beast  of  the  field  "  sig- 
nifies afiedlion  for  good,  "bird  of  the  heavens"  affe(5i;ion  for  truth, 
and  "  creeping  thing  of  the  earth  "  afife6lion  for  knowledges  of  truth 
and  good.  Every  one  sees  that  no  beast,  or  bird,,  or  creeping  thing 
of  the  earth  is  here  meant ;  for  with  these  how  could  there  be  any 
covenant?  "  I  will  break  the  bow  and  the  sword  and  war  from 
the  earth  "  signifies  that  because  of  conjuncSlion  with  the  Lord  no 
combat  of  falsity  against  truth  shall  exist,  "bow"  here  meaning 
do6lrine,  "  sword  "  falsity,  and  "  war  "  combat.     [31.]   In  Ezekiel: 

"This  is  the  day  whereof  I  have  spoken;  then  the  inhabitants  of  the 
cities  of  Israel  shall  go  forth,  and  they  shall  set  on  fire  and  burn 
the  arms,  both  the  shield  and  the  buckler,  with  the  bow  and  the 
arrows,  and  the  handstaff  and  the  spear,  and  they  shall  kindle  a  fire 
with  them  seven  years  "  (xxxix.  8,  9). 

This  treats  of  "  Gog,"  which  means  those  who  are  in  external  wor- 
ship and  in  no  internal  worship  ;  because  such  are  in  opposition 
to  spiritual  aflfedlion  fOr  truth,  which  is  to  love  truths  because  they 
are  truths,  they  are  in  falsities  in  respe<5l  to  do6lrine,  and  in  evils 
in  respect!  to  life  ;    for  no  one  can  be  reformed,  that  is,  be  with- 


700  APOCALYPSE   EXPLAINED. 

drawn  from  both  falsities  and  evils,  except  by  means  of  truths  ;  for 
this  reason  it  is  said  that  "the  inhabitants  of  the  cities  of  Israel 
sliall  go  forth,  and  shall  burn  the  arms,  both  the  shield  and  the 
buckler,  with  the  bow  and  the  arrows,  and  the  handstaff  and 
the  spear."  "  The  inhabitants  of  the  cities  of  Israel  "  mean  those 
who  are  in  affedlion  for  truth  from  good,  that  is,  in  spiritual  affec- 
tion for  truth,  and  thus  in  do6lrine  of  genuine  truth  ;  "to  burn  the 
arms"  signifies  to  root  out  falsities  of  every  kind;  the  "shield" 
falsity  destroying  good;  "the  buckler"  falsity  destroying  truth; 
"the  bow  with  the  arrows"  do6lrine  with  its  falsities  ;  the  "hand- 
staff"  and  the  "spear"  signify  one's  own  power  and  confidence, 
such  as  pertain  to  those  who  place  the  all  of  the  church,  and  thus 
of  salvation,  in  external  worship.  "They  shall  kindle  a  fire  with 
them  seven  years"  signifies  that  these  falsities  and  evils  shall  be 
completely  destroyed,  "  seven  years  "  signifying  all  things,  fulness, 
and  completely  (see  above,  n.  257,  300). 

358*  "And  a  crown  was  given  \_unfo  Hint]  "  signifies  eternal 
life  which  is  the  reward  of  vi£lory. — This  is  evident  from  the  sig- 
nification of  "  crown,"  as  meaning,  when  spiritual  combat  is  treated 
of,  as  here,  eternal  life  which  is  the  reward  of  vi6lory.  That  spir- 
itual combat  is  here  treated  of  is  evident  from  what  precedes  and 
follows ;  in  what  precedes  it  is  said  that  "  He  that  sat  upon  the 
white  horse  had  a  bow,"  and  "a  bow"  signifies  the  do6lrine  of 
charity  and  faith,  by  which  one  fights  against  evils  and  falsities 
and  disperses  them.  It  is  also  evident  from  what  follows,  in  which 
it  is  said,  "and  He  went  forth  conquering  and  that  He  might 
conquer,"  by  which  is  signified  vi(5lory  over  evils  and  falsities ; 
therefore  "  crown  "  here  signifies  eternal  life,  which  is  the  reward  of 
victory.  [2.]  "  Crown  "  has  the  same  signification  where  tempta- 
tions are  treated  of,  because  temptations  are  spiritual  combats,  as 
in  the  second  chapter  of  this  book,  where  these  words  occur, 

"  Behold,  the  devil  is  about  to  cast  some  of  you  into  confinement,  that 
ye  may  be  tried  ;  and  ye  shall  have  affliction  ten  days  :  be  thou 
faithful  even  till  death,  and  I  will  give  thee  the  crown  of  life" 
(verse  10). 

Here  "  crown  "  signifies  wisdom  and  eternal  happiness,  as  may  be 
seen  above  (n.  126).  Wisdom  and  eternal  happiness  taken  together 
are  eternal  life,  for  the  very  life  of  heaven  is  in  wisdom  and  eternal 
happiness.  The  "  crown  "  of  the  martyrs  has  a  like  signification 
because  they  were  in  afiflidlion,  and  were  "faithful  even  till  death," 
and  were  also  in  temptations  and  conquered  ;  moreover,  after 
death  crowns  were  given  them  ;  but  lest  they  should  on  that  ac- 
count appropriate  honor  to  themselves,  and  thus  acquire  haughti- 


rilAP.    VI.,   VF.RSE   2. — N.   359.  70I 

ness,  they  cast  them  off  from  their  heads.  Because  in  the  Word 
"  wars  "  signify  wars  in  a  spiritual  sense,  which  are  combats  against 
evils  and  falsities,  and  "kings"  signify  truths  from  good  which 
fight  against  evils  and  falsities,  in  ancient  times,  when  men  had  a 
knowledge  of  correspondences  and  representations,  kinos  in  their 
battles  wore  a  crown  upon  the  head,  and  a  bracelet  upon  the  arm  ; 
as  can  be  seen  [3.]  in  the  Second  Book  of  Samuel: 

The  young  man  the  son  of  an  Amalekite,  who  brought  word  to  David 
that  Saul  and  Jonathan  were  dead,  said,  "  I  came  upon  Mount  Gil- 
boa,  when  behold,  Saul  leaned  upon  his  spear ;  and  the  chariots  and 
leaders  followed  hard  after  him.    .  . .    And  he  called  to  me,  Come 

and  slay  me And  I  stood  against  him,  and  slew  him, ....  and 

I  took  the  crown  that  was  upon  his  head  and  the  bracelet  that  was 
on  his  arm,  and  I  bring  them  to  thee  "  (i.  6,  8-10). 

A  crown  in  battle  was  then  a  sign  of  combat,  and  a  bracelet  upon 
the  arm  was  a  sign  of  power,  each  against  evils  and  falsities.  These 
combats  are  also  signified  by  battles  everywhere  in  the  Word, 

even  in  the  historical  parts.  (That  "  bracelet  upon  the  arm  "  signifies  the 
power  of  truth  from  good,  see  A.C.,  n.  3105.  What  further  "  crowns  of  kings  "  and 
"crowns"  in  general  signify,  see  above,  n.  272.) 

359*  "And  He  went  forth  conquering  and  that  He  might  con- 
quer" signifies  the  removal  of  evils  and  of  falsities  from  evils  to  the 
end  of  life,  and  afterwards  to  eternity. — This  is  evident  from  the 
signification  of  "to  conquer"  in  the  Word,  as  meaning  to  conquer 
spiritually,  which  is  to  subjugate  evils  and  falsities ;  but  as  these 
are  not  conquered  otherwise  than  that  they  are  taken  away  by 
the  Lord,  "  to  conquer"  signifies  the  removal  of  evils  and  falsities. 

(That  evils  and  falsities  are  taken  away,  and  not  wiped  out,  that  is,  that  man  is  withheld 
from  them,  and  kept  in  good  and  truth  by  the  Lord,  see  Doctrine  of  the  New  feru- 
salem,  n.  166  ;  and  A.C.,  n.  865,  868,  887,  894,  929,  1581,  2116,  2406,  4564,  8206,  8393, 

8988,  9014, 9333-9338,  9446-9448,  9451, 10057, 10060.)  It  is  said  "  He  went 
forth  conquering  and  that  He  might  conquer,"  and  "  He  went  forth 
conquering"  signifies  the  removal  of  evils  and  of  falsities  from 
evils  to  the  end  of  life;  "and  that  He  might  conquer"  signifies 
their  removal  afterwards  to  eternity ;  for  he  who  fights  against 
evils  and  falsities  and  conquers  them,  in  the  world  even  to  the  end 
of  life,  conquers  them  to  eternity  ;  for  what  a  man  is  at  the  end 
of  his  life  in  consequence  of  his  past  life,  such  he  remains  to  eter- 
nity. "To  conquer"  signifies  to  conquer  spiritually,  because  the 
Word  is  in  its  bosom  spiritual,  that  is,  in  its  inmost  it  treats  of  spir- 
itual things,  and  not  of  earthly  things  ;  the  earthly  things  that  are 
in  the  sense  of  its  letter  merely  serve  its  spiritual  sense  as  a  basis, 
into  which  spiritual  things  close  and  in  which  they  are,  "  To  con- 
quer [or  to  overcome]  "  has  the  same  signification  in  the  following 
passages.     [2.]   In  the  Apocalypse: 


702  ArOCALYPSi:    I.XI'I.AINI^I). 

"To  him  that  overcometh  will  I  give  to  eat  of  the  tree  of  life  which  is 

in  the  midst  of  the  paradise  of  God  "  (ii.  7), 
"  He  that  overcometh  shall  not  be  hurt  by  the  second  death  "  (ii.  11). 
"  He  that  overcometh  and  keepeth  My  works  unto  the  end,  I  will  give 

him  power  over  the  nations"  (ii.  26). 
"He  that  overcometh  I  will  make  him  a  pillar  in  the  temple  of  God" 

(iii.  12). 
"  He  that  overcometh  I  will  give  to  him  to  sit  with  Me  in  My  throne  " 

(iii.  21). 
"  They  overcame  the  dragon  through  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  and  through 

the  word  of  the  testimony  "  (xii.  11). 
"He  that  overcometh  shall  possess  all  things,  and  I  will  be  to  him  God, 

and  he  shall  be  to  Me  a  son  "  (xxi.  7). 

And  in  yohn  : 

Jesus  [said]  to  the  disciples,  "  These  things  I  have  spoken  unto  you  that 
in  Me  ye  might  have  peace.  In  the  world  ye  shall  have  tribulation  ; 
but  trust  confidently,  I  have  overcome  the  world  "  (xvi.  33). 

The  Lord's  "overcoming  the  w^orld"  means  that  He  subjugated 
all  the  hells ;  for  "  the  world  "  here  signifies  all  evils  and  falsities, 
which  are  from  hell 

(as  also  in  John  viii.  23  ;  xii.  31  ;  xiv.  17,  19,  30;  xv.  18,  ig  ;  xvi.  8,  11  ; 
xvii.  9,  14,  16). 

[3.]  "To  conquer"  has  a  like  signification  when  predicated  of  the 
Lord,  in  Isaiah: 

"Who  is  this  that  cometh  from  Edom,  his  garments  sprinkled  from  Boz- 
rah  ?....!  have  trodden  the  wine-press  alone,  and  of  the  people 
not  a  man  was  with  me  ;  therefore  have  I  trodden  them  in  mine 
anger,  and  trampled  them  in  my  wrath  ;  wherefore  their  vi(flory 
is  sprinkled  upon  my  garments,  and  I  have  stained  all  my  raiment. 
....  But  I  have  made  their  vi<5lory  to  descend  into  the  earth" 
(Ixiii.  I,  3,  6). 

This  treats  of  the  Lord,  and  His  combats  against  the  hells  and 
their  subjugation.  He  Himself  in  respe6l  to  His  Divine  Human 
is  here  meant  by  "  Edom,  His  garments  sprinkled  from  Bozrah," 
"  His  garments  "  signifying  the  Word  in  the  letter,  for  "  garments" 
signify  truths  investing,  and  in  reference  to  the  Lord  they  signify 
Divine  truths,  consequently  the  Word,  since  in  it  are  all  Divine 
truths  (see  above,  n.  I95[t]).  The  Word  in  the  sense  of  the  letter  is 
also  meant  here  by  "  garments,"  because  it  contains  investing  truths, 
for  the  sense  of  the  letter  serves  as  a  garment  to  the  spiritual  sense. 
And  as  the  Word,  in  respe<5l  to  that  sense,  was  torn  asunder  by 
the  Jewish  people,  and  Divine  truth  was  thereby  adulterated,  it 
is  said,  "his  garments  sprinkled  from  Bozrah,  their  vi6lory  is 
sprinkled  upon  my  garments,  and  I  have  stained  all  my  rai- 
ment," "garments  from  Bozrah"  signify  the  outmost  of  the  Word 
which  is  the  sense  of  its  letter,  "their  victory  upon  my  garments 
signifies  the  wrong  interpretation  and  application  of  the  truth  by 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE  3. — N.  361.  703 

those  who  wrest  the  sense  of  the  letter  to  favor  their  own  l(>\es. 
and  the  principles  suggested  thereby,  as  was  done  by  the  Jews, 
and  is  done  also  at  this  day  by  many  ;  this  is  meant  by  "their  vic- 
tory upon  my  garments."  That  the  Lord  fought  alone  is  signi- 
fied by  "I  have  trodden  the  wine-press  alone,  and  of  the  people 
not  a  man  was  with  me,"  "wine-press"  signifying  combat  from 
Divine  truths  against  falsities,  because  in  wine-presses  the  wine  is 
pressed  out  from  grapes,  and  "wine"  signifies  Divine  truth; 
therefore  "  to  tread  it  alone,  and  of  the  people  not  a  man  was  with 
me,"  signifies  alone,  with  no  aid  from  any  one.  That  the  Lord 
subjugated  the  hells  is  signified  by,  "  I  have  trodden  them  in  mine 
anger,  and  trampled  them  in  my  wrath  ;"  it  is  said,  "  I  have  trod- 
den "  and  "  I  have  trampled,"  because  of  the  reference  to  the  wine- 
press, and  because  destruction  is  signified  ;  it  is  said  "anger  "and 
"wrath"  because  the  hells  are  destroyed  ;  and  in  the  sense  of  the 
letter  this  is  attributed  to  the  Lord,  when  in  fact  nothing  of  anger 
or  wrath  pertains  to  Him,  but  only  to  those  who  are  against  Him  ; 
it  is  according  to  appearance  that  it  is  so  said  here  and  in  many 
j)laces  elsewhere.  That  such  were  subjugated  and  condemned  to 
hell  is  signified  by,  "  I  have  made  their  victory  to  descend  into  the 
earth,"  "  into  the  earth"  meaning  into  damnation,  thus  into  hell. 

(That  "  earth  "  also  signifies  damnation,  see  above,  n.  304[^].) 

VERSES  3,  4. 

300»  "  And  when  He  had  opened  the  second  seal.  I  heard  the  second  animal  saying, 
Come  and  see.  And  there  went  forth  another  horse  that  was  red ;  and  to  him  that  sat  upon 
him,  to  him  it  was  given  to  taf<e  peace  from  the  earth,  that  they  should  slay  one  another  ; 
and  to  him  was  given  a  great  sword." 

3.  "And  when  He  had  opened  the  second  sea/ "signifies  a  inanifestation  of  the 

succeeding  state  of  those  ii<ho  o7-e  of  the  church  -.i'here  the  Word  is  [n. 
361]  ;  "/  heard  the  second  animal  saying  "  signifies  out  of  the  in/nost 
heaven  from  the  Lord  [n.  362]  ;  "Come  and  see"  signifies  attention 
and  perception  [n.  363]. 

4.  "And  there  went  forth  another  horse  that  was  red"  signifies  understanding 

of  the  fVord  destroyed  in  respect  to  good  [n.  364] ;  "and  to  him  that 
sat  upon  him,  to  him  it  was  given  to  take  peace  from  the  earth,"  sig- 
nifies the  Word  consequently  not  understood,  ichich  is  the  source  of  dis- 
sensions in  the  church  [n.  365]  ;  "that  they  should  slay  one  another" 
signifies  the  falsification  and  extinction  of  trut/is  [n.  366]  ;  "and  to  him 
was  given  a  great  sword"  signifies  by  means  of  falsities  [n.  367]. 

361*    [Vers.'  3]  "And  when  he  had  opened  the  second  seal" 

signifies  a  manifestatioyi  of  the  succeeding  state  of  those  who  are 
of  the  church,  where  the  Word  is. — This  is  evident  from  what  w^as 
said  above  (n.  351,  352),  namely,  that  "to  open  the  seal"  signifies 
a  manifestation  of  the  state  ot  those  who  are  of  the  church,  and 
as  there  were  seven  seals,  and  seven  openings  of  the  seals,  the 
successive  states  of  those  of  the  church  are  signified.     But  these 


704  AI'OCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

successive  states  of  the  church,  which  are  here  described,  are  not 
apparent  to  any  one  in  the  world,  for  they  are  successive  states  in 
respe6t  to  an  understanding-  of  truth  from  the  Word  ;  these  no 
one  sees  but  the  Lord  alone.  And  since  all  who  are  in  the  heav- 
ens are  there  arranged  according  to  affections  for  good  and  truth, 
and  thus  in  respedl  to  perception  and  understanding  of  the  Word, 
and  since  this  prophetical  book  describes  the  last  judgment  upon 
those  who  were  in  the  former  heaven,  and  the  arrangement  of 
those  who  are  in  the  new  heaven,  these  states  are  here  treated  oi, 
for  thereon  depend  the  things  that  follow. 

362.  "/  heard  the  second  animal  saying  "  signifies  out  of  the 
inmost  heaven  from  the  Lord. — This  is  evident  from  what  was  said 
above  (n.  353) ;  for  by  the  animals  are  meant  cherubim,  and  "cher- 
ubim," in  the  highest  sense,  signify  the  Lord  in  relation  to  provid- 
ence and  guard  that  He  be  not  approached  except  through  good 
of  love ;  and  in  a  relative  sense,  the  inmost  heaven  (see  above,  n. 
152,  277,  3i3['i],  322).  "  Cherubim  "  signify  also  the  inmost  heaven 
because  this  heaven  is  in  good  of  love  to  the  Lord,  and  the  Lord 
cannot  be  approached  except  through  the  heavens,  and  into  the 
inmost  or  third  heaven  there  is  nothing  admitted  that  does  not 
savor  of  the  good  of  that  heaven.  There  were  four  animals  or 
cherubim,  because  "four"  signifies  conjun6lion  into  one,  and  such 
is  the  conjunction  with  those  who  are  there ;  for  the  Lord  thus 
conjoins  them  by  means  of  love  to  Him  from  Him.  For  this 
reason  four  were  seen.  From  this  also  it  is  clear  that  the  second 
animal  here  has  the  same  significance  as  the  first,  and  the  same  as 

the  third  and  fourth  in  what  follows.  (That  "four"  signifies  conjunction. 
see  A.C.,  n.  1686,  8877,  9601,  9674.) 

^^^»  "Come  and  see"  signifies  attention  and  perception ;  as 
is  evident  from  what  was  said  above  (n.  354),  where  the  same 
words  occur. 

364[#«].  [ Verse 4]  "And  there  went  forth  another  horse  that 
was  red"  signifies  understanding-  of  the  Word  destroyed  in  respefl 
to  good. — This  is  evident  from  the  signification  of  "horse,"  as 
meaning  the  intelleCl  (of  which  above,  n.  355).  Here  because  the 
'states  of  those  who  are  of  the  church  where  the  Word  is  are 
treated  of,  "horse"  signifies  the  intellect  of  men  of  the  church  in 
relation  to  the  Word.  It  is  also  evident  from  the  signification  of 
"red  {rtibery  or  "red  (mfus)"  as  meaning  what  a  thing  is  in  rela- 
tion to  good,  so  here,  what  the  understanding  of  the  Word  is  in 
relation  to  good.  That  "  red  [rufus] "  here  signifies  this  destroyed 
in  respe6l  to  good,  can  be  seen  from  what  immediately  follov\s  in 
this  verse,  for  it  is  said,  "  to  him  that  sat  upon  him  it  was  given 
to  take  peace  from  the  earth,  that  they  should  sla}'  one  another, 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE  4. — N.  364[a].  705 

and  to  him  was  given  a  great  sword,"  which  signifies  a  conse- 
quent extindlion  of  all  truth.  Since  tlie  horses  that  John  saw 
were  distinguished  by  colors,  for  the  first  appeared  "white,"  the 
second  "red,"  the  third  "black,"  and  the  fourth  "pale,"  and  colors 
signify  what  a  thing  is,  let  something  first  be  said  here  about 
cok)rs.  In  the  heavens  colors  of  every  kind  appear,  and  they 
originate  in  the  light  there  ;  and  as  that  light  immensely  excels 
in  brightness  and  splendor  the  light  of  the  world,  so  do  the  colors 
there  ;  and  as  the  light  there  is  from  the  sun  of  heaven,  which  is 
the  Lord,  and  is  the  Divine  going  forth,  and  as  consequently  that 
light  is  spiritual,  so  all  colors  signify  things  spiritual.  And  as  the 
Divine  going  forth  is  Divine  good  united  to  Divine  truth,  and 
as  Divine  good  in  heaven  is  presented  to  view  by  a  flamy  light, 
and  Divine  truth  by  a  glowing  white  light,  so  there  are  two  colors 
there  that  are  the  fundamentals  of  all  colors,  namely,  the  red 
color  and  the  white  color  ;  the  red  color  has  its  origin  in  the  flamy 
light  that  goes  forth  from  Divine  good,  and  the  white  color  from 
the  glowing  white  light  that  goes  forth  from  Divine  truth  ;  con- 
sequently so  far  as  colors  are  derived  from  red  they  signify  good, 
and  so  far  as  they  are  derived  from  white  they  signify  truth.    (I'.u' 

these  things  can  be  seen  better  from  what  is  told  about  colors,  from  experience,  m 
the  Arcana  Caelestia,  namely,  that  most  beautiful  colors  are  seen  in  the  heavens,  n. 
1053,  1624  ;  colors  in  the  heavens  are  from  the  light  there,  and  are  modifications  and 
variations  of  light,  n.  1042,  1043,  1053,  1624,  3993.  4530,  4742,  4922;  thus  they  are 
manifestations  of  truth  and  good,  and  signify  such  things  as  are  of  intelligence  and 
wisdom,  n.  4530,  4677,  4922,  9466;  consequently  the  precious  stones  that  were  of 
various  colors  in  the  breast-plate  of  the  ejihod,  that  is,  in  the  Urim  and  Thummim, 
signified  all  things  of  truth  froin  good  in  heaven  and  in  the  church,  and  therefore  the 
breast-plate  in  general  signified  Divine  truth  shining  forth  from  the  Divine  good,  n. 
9823,  9865,  9868,  9905  ;  and  thus  responses  were  given  by  variegations  and  resplend- 
ences of  light,  and  at  the  same  time  by  tacit  perception,  or  by  a  living  voice  out  of 
heaven,  n.  3862[,  9905]  ;  colors  so  far  as  they  are  derived  from  red  signify  good, 
and  so  far  as  they  are  from  white  signify  truth,  n.  9467.  Of  the  Light  of  Heaven, 
whence  and  what  it  is.  see  Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  126-140,  275.)       [2.]     It  is  tO  be 

observed,  moreover,  that  "  red  "  color  not  only  signifies  what  a  thing 
is  in  relation  to  good,  but  also  what  a  thing  is  in  relation  to  evil ; 
for  that  color  not  only  comes  forth  from  the  flamy  light  that  is  from 
the  sun  of  heaven,  as  was  said  above,  but  it  also  comes  forth  from 
what  is  flamelike  in  hell,  which  is  from  the  fire  there,  which  fire  is 
like  a  coal  fire.  Therefore  the  red  in  heaven  is  wholly  different 
from  the  red  in  hell ;  the  red  in  heaven  is  shining  and  living, 
while  the  red  in  hell  is  horribly  dark  and  dead  ;  moreover,  the 
red  of  heaven  gives  life,  while  the  red  of  hell  brings  death :  the 
reason  is  that  the  fire  from  which  red  is  derived  is  in  its  origin 
love  ;  heavenly  fire  is  from  heavenly  love,  and  infernal  fire  from  in- 
fernal love  ;  consequently  "  fire  "  in  the  Word  signifies  love  in  both 

senses  (see  Ax:.,   n.  4906,  5071,  5213,  6314,  6832,  7575,  10747;  and  Heaven  and 


7o6  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

Nfi/,n.  134,566-575);  therefore  the  "red"  coming  forth  therefrom 
sii^nifies  the  quality  of  the  love  in  both  senses.  Moreover,  this 
red,  that  is,  the  "red"  of  this  horse  is,  in  the  Greek,  from  a  word 
that  means  fire.  All  this,  together  with  the  description  of  this 
horse  in  this  verse,  makes  clear  why  it  is  that  a  "red  horse"  sig- 
nifies understanding  of  the  Word  destroyed  in  respe6l  to  good. 

[ft»]  That  "  horse  "  signifies  something  connected  witli  tlie  sub- 
je6t  can  be  clearly  seen  from  this,  that  horses  were  seen  when  "  the 
seals  were  opened,"  and  it  was  said  that  "they  went  forth,"  for 
horses  could  not  go  forth  out  of  a  book,  but  those  things  could 
be  manifested  which  are  signified  by  "horses."  That  "horse" 
signifies  the  intelle6l,  and  "color"  its  quality,  has  been  made 
familiar  to  me  from  experience  ;  for  spirits  who  were  meditating 
from  the  understanding  upon  some  subject  have  at  dififerent 
times  been  seen  by  me  to  be  riding  upon  horses,  and  when  I 
asked  them  whether  they  were  riding,  they  said  that  they  were 
not,  but  that  they  stood  meditating  upon  the  subje6l ;  which 
made  clear  that  riding  upon  a  horse  is  an  appearance  represent- 
ing the  a6livity  of  their  understanding.  [3.]  There  is  a  place 
called  the  assembly  of  the  intelligent  and  wise,  to  which  very 
many  resort  for  meditation,  and  when  one  is  coming  to  it  horses 
of  various  colors  and  variously  caparisoned,  also  chariots,  with 
some  riding  and  others  sitting  in  the  chariots,  appear  to  him  ; 
and  when  these  are  asked  whether  they  are  riding  upon  horses, 
or  are  carried  in  chariots,  they  say  that  they  are  not,  but  that 
they  are  going  along  meditating  ;  from  this  also  it  was  clear  what 
is  signified  by  "horses"  and  by  "chariots."  (But  about  this  see  more 
in  The  White  Horse.)  From  all  tliis  it  cau  uow  be  seen  why  John 
saw  horses  when  the  seals  of  the  book  were  opened,  and  also 
what  they  signify.  These  horses  were  seen,  because  all  the  spir- 
itual things  of  the  Word  are  presented  in  the  sense  of  its  letter 
by  means  of  such  things  as  correspond,  that  is,  as  represent  and 
thus  signify,  and  this  in  order  that  the  Divine  may  be  there  in 
outmosts  and  consequently  in  fulness,  as  has  been  frequently  said 
above.  [4.]  That  "  red  irufus)  "  or  "  red  (ruder)  "  signifies  what  a 
thing  is  in  relation  to  good,  can  be  seen  also  from  the  following 
passages  in  the  Word.     In  Moses  : 

"  Who  washeth  his  clothing  in  wine,  and  his  garment  in  the  blood  of  the 
grapes.  His  eyes  are  redder  than  wine,  and  his  teeth  whiter  than 
milk  "  (Gi'/i.  xlix.  11,  12). 

These  words  are  in  the  prophecy  of  Israel  the  father  respecting 
Judah,  and  " Judah  "  here  means  the  Lord  in  relation  to  good 
of  love,  and  in  a  relative  sense  the  Lord's  celestial  kingdom. 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE  4. — N.  364[a].  707 

What  each  particular  here  signifies  in  the  spiritual  sense  may  be 
seen  in  the  Arcana  Caelestia,  where  it  is  explained.  Divine  wis- 
dom which  is  from  Divine  good  is  signified  by  "  his  eyes  are  red- 
der than  wine;"  and  Divine  intelligence  which  is  fiom  Divine 
truth  by  "his  teeth  are  whiter  than  milk."  [5.]  In  Lamenta- 
tions : 

"  The  Nazarites  were  whiter  than  snow,  they  were  brighter  than  milk, 
their  bones  were  more  ruddy  than  pearls  "  (iv.  7). 

The  Nazarites  represented  the  Lord  in  respe6t  to  the  Divine  Hu- 
man (see  above,  n.  66,  1 96,  at  the  end),  therefore  they  signified  also, 
in  a  relative  sense,  the  good  of  celestial  love,  because  this  good 
goes  forth  immediately  from  the  Lord's  Divine  Human.  The 
representative  of  this  in  the  church  is  thus  described,  the  truth 
of  that  good  is  signified  by  "  they  were  whiter  than  snow,  and 
brighter  than  milk,"  and  the  good  of  truth  by  "their  bones 
were  more  ruddy  than  pearls;"  for  "bones"  signify  truths  in 
their  outmost,  thus  truths  in  the  whole  complex,  for  in  outmosts 
all  things  are  together  and  in  fulness  ;  that  these  truths  are  from 
good,  and  are  goods,  is  signified  by  their  being  "  ruddy."  [6.]  In 
Zechariah  : 

"I  saw  four  chariots  coming  out  from  between  mountains  ....  of  brass. 
In  the  first  chariot  were  red  horses ;  in  the  second  chariot  black 
horses  ;  and  in  the  third  chariot  white  horses ;  and  in  the  fourth 
chariot  grisled  horses,  strong"  (vi.  1-3). 

That  here,  too,  "red  horses"  signify  what  the  understanding  is 
in  the  beginning  in  relation  to  good,  "  black  horses  "  what  the  un- 
derstanding is  in  the  beginning  in  relation  to  truth,  "white  hors- 
es" what  the  understanding  is  afterwards  in  relation  to  truth, 
"  grisled  horses  "  what  the  understanding  is  afterwards  in  relation 
to  truth  and  good,  and  "  strong  "  what  it  is  consequently  in  re- 
spe6l  to  the  power  to  resist  falsities  and  evils,  may  be  seen  above 
(n.  355M),  where  the  signification  of"  horse  "  is  treated  of  Nearly 
the  same  is  meant  in  the  same  prophet  by 

The  red  horse,  upon  which  a  man  rode,  standing  among  the  myrtle  trees 
(i.  8). 

Because  "red  ir/ffier)"  or  "  red  (r/////s)"  signifies  what  a  thing  is  in 
relation  to  good, 

Red  rams'  skins  were  used  for  a  covering  over  the  tabernacle  {Exod.  xxv. 
5  ;  xxvi.  14 ;  xxxv.  7). 

And  therefore  also 

The  water  of  separation,  used  in  cleansing,  was  prepared  from  a  red 
heifer  burned  (iVtim.  xix.  i-io) ; 

"red  heifer"  signifying  the  good  of  the  natural  man,  and  the 


7o8  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

"water  of  separation ""  prepared  from  it  when  l)urned  signifying 
the  truth  of  the  natural  man  ;  and  this  was  commanded  because 
all  cleansing  is  efife(5led  by  means  of  truths  ;  moreover,  the  par- 
ticulars of  the  method  of  slaying  the  heifer,  and  of  preparing  the 
water  of  cleansing  from  it,  involve  spiritual  things.  [7.]  Because 
"red"  signifies  what  a  thing  is  in  relation  to  good,  those 
names  and  the  things  that  derive  their  names  from  this  same 
word  in  the  original  signify  the  good  in  which  they  originate. 
The  word  red  in  the  original  is  adam,  from  which  is  the  name 
Adam,  also  the  name  Edom  ;  from  this  man  is  called  adam,  the 
ground  adama,  and  the  ruby  odani ;  thus  these  names  and  things 
are  from  red.  "Adam"  signifies  the  Most  Ancient  church,  a 
church  that  was  in  the  good  of  love  ;  "  man  "  has  a  like  signifi- 
cation, also  "ground"  in  the  spiritual  sense  when  celestial  good 
is  treated  of.  That  "  Edom  "  was  named  from  red  see  Gen.  xxv. 
30  ;  for  this  reason  it  signifies  the  truth  of  the  good  of  the  nat- 
ural man.  That  the  ruby  is  also  named  from  red  may  be  seen 
in  Exod.  xxviii.  17  ;  xxxix.  10  ;  Ezek.  xxviii.  13  ;  for  this  reason 
"  ruby  "  signifies  the  truth  of  celestial  good.     (That  "  Adam  "  signifies 

the  Most  Ancient  church,  which  was  a  celestial  church,  or  a  church  in  good  of  love 
to  the  Lord,  see  A.C.,  n.  478,  479;  that  "man  "  signifies  the  church  in  respe<5t  to 
good,  n.  4287,  7424,  7523;  that  "ground"  has  a  like  signification,  n.  566,  10570; 
that  "  Edom,"  because  he  was  named  firom  red,  signifies  the  truth  of  good  of  the 
natural  man,  n.  3300,  3322 ;  and  that  "  ruby  "  signifies  the  truth  of  celestial  good,  n. 

9865.)  As  "red"  signifies  what  a  thing  is  in  relation  to  good, 
so  in  a  contrary  sense  it  signifies  what  a  thing  is  in  relation  to 
evil,  which  is  contrary  to  good,  consequently  good  destroyed. 
In  this  sense  "red"  is  mentioned  in  the  following  passages. 
In  Isaiah  : 

"Although  your  sins  have  been  as  scarlet,  they  shall  become  white  like 
snow  ;  although  they  have  been  red  as  crimson,  they  shall  be  as 
wool "  (i.  18). 

And  in  Nahum  : 

"The  shield  of  his  mighty  men  is  made  red,  the  valiant  men  are  in 

purple ;  in  a  fire  of  torches  are  his  chariots The  chariots  raged 

in  the  streets,  they  ran  to  and  fro  in  the  broad  ways ;  the  appear- 
ance of  them  is  like  torches  "  (ii.  3,  4). 

In  this  sense  also  the  dragon  is  called  red  {Apoc.  xii.  3,  of  which 
in  what  follows). 

365[ff],  "And  to  him  that  sat  upon  him,  to  him  it  was  given 
to  take  peace  from  the  earth,"  signifies  f/ie  Word consegtienf/y  not 
understood,  ichich  is  the  source  of  dissensions  in  the  church. — This 
is  evident  from  the  signification  of  "him  that  sat  upon  the  red 
horse,"  as  meaning  the  Word  not  understood  in  respect  lo 
good  ;  for  "he  that  sat  upon  the  horse"  signifies  the  Word,  ;;s 


CHAP.    VI.,   VERSE    4. — N.    365[rt].  709 

was  shown  above  m.  355[",t],  356),  "horse"  signifying  under- 
standing of  it  (n.  355),  and  "red  horse"  understanding  destroyed 
in  respe6l  to  good  fn.  364) ;  therefore  "he  that  sat  upon  the  red 
horse"  signifies  the  Word  consequently  not  understood.  It  is 
evident  also  from  the  signification  of  "to  take  peace,"  as  mean- 
ing that  this  is  the  source  of  dissensions  (of  which  presently) ; 
also  from  the  signification  of  "earth,"  as  meaning  the  church. 

(That  "  the  earth  "  signifies  the  church,  see  above,  n.  29,  304.)      [2.]    Before  it 

is  explained  what  "peace"  signifies,  let  something  be  said  about 
dissensions  arising  in  the  church  when  understanding  oi  the 
Word  is  destroyed.  By  good,  good  of  love  to  the  Lord  and 
good  of  love  towards  the  neighbor  are  meant,  since  every  good 
is  of  love.  When  these  goods  do  not  exist  with  the  man  of  the 
church,  the  Word  is  not  understood  ;  for  the  conjun6lion  of  the 
Lord  and  the  conjun6lion  of  heaven  with  the  man  of  the  church 
is  by  means  of  good  ;  therefore  if  there  is  no  good  with  him  no 
enlightenment  can  be  given  ;  for  all  enlightenment  when  the 
Word  is  being  read  is  out  of  heaven  from  the  Lord  ;  and  when 
there  is  no  enlightenment  the  truths  that  are  in  the  Word  are  in 
obscurity,  and  thus  dissensions  spring  up.  That  the  Word  is 
not  understood  if  man  is  not  in  good  can  be  seen  also  from  this, 
that  in  every  particular  of  the  Word  there  is  a  heavenly  marriage, 
that  is,  a  conjun6tion  of  good  and  truth  ;  therefore  if  good  is  not 
present  with  man  when  he  is  reading  the  Word,  truth  is  not  seen, 
for  truth  is  seen  from  good,  and  good  by  means  of  truths.     (That 

in  every  particular  of  the  Word  there  is  a  conjundtion  of  good  and  truth,  see  above, 

n.  238  at  the  end.  288[^].)  [3.]  The  State  of  the  case  is  this  :  so  far 
as  man  is  in  good  the  Lord  fiows  in  and  gives  affe6lion  for  truth, 
and  thus  understanding  :  for  the  inner  human  mind  is  formed 
entirely  in  an  image  ot  heaven,  and  the  whole  hea\'en  is  formed 
according  to  affections  for  good  and  for  truth  from  good ;  there- 
fore unless  there  is  good  in  man,  that  mind  cannot  be  opened,  still 
less  can  it  be  formed  for  heaven  ;  it  is  formed  by  the  conjun6lion 
of  good  and  truth.  From  this  it  can  be  seen  that  unless  man 
is  in  good,  truths  have  no  ground*  in  which  to  be  received,  nor 
heat  by  which  to  grow ;  for  truths  with  the  man  who  is  in 
good  are  like  seeds  in  the  ground  in  the  time  of  spring  ;  while 
truths  with  the  man  who  is  not  in  good  are  like  seeds  in  ground 
bound  by  frost  in  the  time  of  winter,  when  there  is  no  grass,  nor 
flower,  nor  foliage,  still  less  fruit.  [4.]  In  the  Word  are  all  truths 
of  heaven  and  the  church,  yea,  all  the  secrets  of  wisdom  that  an- 
gels of  heaven  possess  ;  but  no  one  .sees  these  unless  he  is  in  the 
good  of  love  to  the  Lord  and  in  the  good  of  love  towards  the 
neis>hbor ;  those  who  are  not  see  truths  here  and  there,  but 
do   not    understand   them ;    they   have  a   perception   and   idea 


7IO  APOCALYPSK   EXPLAINED. 

of  them  wholly  different  from  that  which  pertains  to  the  truths 
considered  in  themselves  ;  although,  therefore,  they  see  or  know 
truths,  still  truths  are  not  truths  with  them,  but  falsities  ;  for 
truths  are  not  truths  from  their  sound  or  utterance,  but  from  an 
idea  and  perception  of  them.  When  truths  are  implanted  in 
good  it  is  different ;  then  truths  appear  in  their  own  form,  for  a 
truth  is  a  form  of  good.  From  this  it  may  be  concluded  what 
the  understanding  of  the  Word  is  with  those  who  make  faith 
alone  the  sole  means  of  salvation,  and  cast  behind  them  good  of 
life,  or  good  of  charity.  It  has  been  found  that  those  who  have 
established  themselves  in  this,  both  in  do6lrine  and  life,  have  not 
a  single  right  idea  of  truth  ;  this,  moreover,  is  why  they  do  not 
know  what  good  is,  what  charity  and  love  are,  what  the  neighbor 
is,  what  heaven  and  hell  are,  that  they  are  to  live  after  death  as 
men,  nor,  indeed,  what  regeneration  is,  what  baptism  is,  and 
many  other  things  ;  in  fa6l:,  they  are  in  such  blindness  respe6ting 
God  Himself  that  they  worship  three  in  thought,  and  not  one 
except  merely  with  the  mouth,  not  knowing  that  the  Father  of 
the  Lord  is  the  Divine  in  Him,  and  that  the  Holy  Spirit  is  the 
Divine  from  Him.  These  things  are  said  to  make  known  that 
where  good  is  not,  there  is  no  understanding  of  the  Word.  It  is 
here  said  that  to  him  that  sat  upon  a  red  horse,  it  was  given  "  to 
take  peace  from  the  earth,"  because  "peace"  signifies  a  peaceful 
state  of  the  mind  {mens)  and  tranquility  of  the  outer  mind  [animus) 
from  conjun<5lion  of  good  and  truth;  therefore  "to  take  away 
peace"  signifies  an  unpeaceful  and  untranquil  state  from  the  dis- 
junction of  good  and  truth,  which  is  the  cause  of  internal  dissen- 
sions ;  for  when  good  is  separated  from  truth  evil  takes  its  place  ; 
and  evil  loves  not  truth  but  falsity,  because  every  falsity  is  from 
evil,  as  every  truth  is  from  good  ;  when,  therefore,  such  a  person 
sees  truth  in  the  Word  or  hears  it  from  another,  the  evil  of  his 
love,  and  thus  of  his  will,  strives  against  the  truth,  and  then  he 
either  reje6ls  or  perverts  it,  or  by  ideas  from  the  evil  so  obscures 
it  that  at  length  he  sees  nothing  of  truth  in  the  truth,  however 
much  it  may  sound  as  truth  when  he  utters  it.  This  is  the 
origin  of  all  dissensions,  controversies,  and  heresies  in  the  church. 
From  this  it  can  be  seen  what  is  here  signified  by  "  to  take  peace 
from  the  earth." 

[ft.]  15.]  But  what  peace  is  in  its  first  origin  is  amply  shown 
in  Heaven  and  Hell,  where  The  State  of  Peace  in  Heaven  is 
treated  of  (n.  284-290),  namely  that  in  its  first  origin  it  is  from  the 
Lord ;  it  is  in  Him  from  the  union  of  the  Divine  itself  with  the 
Divine  Human,  and   it   is  from    Him   by  His  conjun6lion  with 


CHAP.   VI.,  VERSE    4.  — N.    365[^].  71I 

heaven  and  the  cluirch,  and  in  |)articulai'  \)y  tin-  conjunction  of 
g'ood  and  truth  in  each  incHvidual.  Prom  tliis  it  is  that  "peace," 
in  the  highest  sense,  sij^nities  the  Lord  ;  in  arelatixe  sense, heaven 
and  the  church  in  general,  and  also  heaven  and  the  church  in 
particular  in  eacli  indi\idual.  [6.]  That  these  things  are  signified 
by  "  peace  "  in  the  Word,  can  be  seen  from  many  passages  therein, 
of  which  I  will  present  the  following  by  way  of  proof    In  yo////  : 

Jesus  said,  "  Peace  I  leave  with  j'ou,  My  peace  I  give  unto  you  ;  not  as 
the  world  giveth  grve  I  unto  you.  Let  not  your  heart  be  troubled, 
neither  let  it  be  afraid  "  (xiv.  27). 

This  treats  of  the  Lord's  union  with  the  Father,  that  is,  the 
union  of  His  Di\'ine  Human  with  the  Divine  itself  which  was  in 
Him  from  conception,  and  thus  of  the  Lord's  conjunction  with 
those  who  are  in  truths  from  good;  therefore  "peace"  means 
tranquility  of  mind  from  that  conjunclion  ;  and  as  such  are  pro- 
tected by  that  conjun6lion  from  the  evils  and  falsities  that  are 
from  hell,  for  the  Lord  protects  those  who  are  conjoined  with 
Him,  so  He  says,  "  Let  not  your  heart  be  troubled,  neither  let  it 
be  afraid."  This  Divine  peace  is  in  man,  and  as  heaven  is  with 
it,  "peace"  here  means  heaven  also,  and  in  the  highest  sense, 
the  Lord.  But  the  peace  of  the  world  is  from  successes  in  the 
world,  thus  from  conjunction  with  the  world,  and  as  this  is  only 
an  external  bond  and  the  Lord  is  not  in  it,  and  consequently 
heaven  is  not  in  it,  it  perishes  with  the  life  of  man  in  the  world 
and  is  turned  into  what  is  not  peace ;  therefore  the  Lord  says, 
"  My  peace  I  give  unto  you  ;  not  as  the  world  giveth  gi\'e  I 
unto  you."     [7.]    In  the  same, 

Jesus  said,  "These  things  I  have  spoken  unto  you  that  in  Me  ye  may 
have  peace.  In  the  world  ye  have  tribulation  ;  but  have  assurance, 
I  have  overcome  the  world  "  (xvi.  33). 

Here,  too,  "peace"  means  internal  delight  from  conjunction  with 
the  Lord,  whence  come  heaven  and  eternal  joy.  "  Peace  "  is  here 
opposed  to  "tribulation,"  because  "tribulation"  signifies  infesta- 
tion by  evils  and  falsities,  which  those  who  are  in  Divine  peace 
have  so  long  as  they  li\'e  in  the  world ;  for  the  flesh,  which  they 
.then  bear  about  them,  lusts  after  the  things  of  the  world,  from 
which  comes  tribulation  ;  therefore  the  Lord  says,  "  that  in  Me  ye 
may  have  peace ;  in  the  world  ye  shall  have  tribulation  ;"  and  as 
the  Lord  in  respect  to  His  Human  acquired  to  Himself  power 
over  the  hells,  thus  over  the  evils  and  the  falsities  that  with  ever}' 
one  rise  up  from  the  hells  into  the  flesh  and  infest,  He  says,  "  have 
assurance,  I  have  o\erconie  the  world."     [8.]    In  L^ike : 


712  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

Jesus  said  to  the  seventy  whom  He  sent  forth,  "Into  whatsoever  house 
ye  enter,  first  say,  Peace  be  to  this  house.  And  if  a  son  of  peace 
be  there,  your  peace  shall  rest  upon  it ;  but  if  not,  it  shall  return 
to  you  again  "  (x.  5,  6). 

And  in  Matthc^u  : 

"  Entering  into  a  house  salute  it.  And  if  the  house  be  worthy  let  your 
peace  come  upon  it ;  but  if  it  be  not  worthy  let  your  peace  return 
to  you.  And  whosoever  shall  not  receive  you  nor  hear  your  words, 
as  ye  go  forth  out  of  that  house  or  city  shake  off  the  dust  of  your 
feet "  (x.  12-14). 

That  they  were  to  say,  "  Peace  be  to  the  house"  sit^nifies  that  they 
were  to  learn  whether  those  who  were  in  it  received  the  Lord  ; 
they  were  proclaiming  the  good  tidings  respe<^l;ing  the  Lord,  and 
thus  respecting  heaven,  celestial  joy,  and  eternal  life,  for  all  these 
are  signified  by  "peace;"  and  those  who  received  are  meant  by 
"  sons  of  peace,"  upon  whom  peace  should  rest ;  but  if  they  did  not 
acknowledge  the  Lord,  and  consequently  did  not  receive  the  things 
respe6ling  the  Lord,  that  is,  that  pertain  to  peace,  that  peace  would 
be  taken  away  from  them  is  what  is  signified  by  "if  the  house  or 
city  be  not  worthy  let  your  ])eace  return  to  you  ;"  that  in  such 
case  they  might  suffer  no  harm  from  the  evils  and  falsities  that 
were  in  that  house  or  that  city,  it  was  commanded  that  "going 
forth,  they  should  shake  off  the  dust  of  their  feet,"  which  signifies 
that  what  is  cursed  therefrom  might  not  cling  to  them,  for  "dust 
of  the  feet"  signifies  what  is  cursed  ;  for  what  is  lowest  in  man, 
which  is  the  sensual-natural,  corresponds  to  the  soles  of  the  feet; 
and  because  evil  clings  to  this,  so  in  the  case  of  those  who  were 
in  the  representatives  of  the  church,  as  most  were  at  that  time, 
they  shook  off  the  dust  of  the  feet  when  the  truths  of  do(5frine 
were  not  received.  For  in  the  spiritual  world,  when  any  good 
person  comes  near  to  those  who  are  evil,  evil  flows  in  from  the  evil 
and  causes  some  disturbance,  but  it  disturbs  only  the  lowest  parts 
that  correspond  to  the  soles  of  the  feet ;  and  when  the}-  tui"n  away 
therefrom  and  go  away  it  appears  as  if  they  shook  the  dust  off 
their  feet  behind  them,  which  is  a  sign  that  they  are  exempt,  and 
that  evil  clings  to  those  that  are  in  evil.      (That  "  soles  of  the  feet " 

correspond  to  the  lowest  natural  things,  and  therefore  signify  these  in  the  Word,  see 
A.C.,  n.  2162,  3147,  3761,  3986,  4280,  4938-4952;  and  that  "  dust,"  which  should  be 
shaken  off,  signifies  what  is  cursed,  n.  249.  7418,  7522.)       [9.]     In  Luke  : 

Jesus  wept  over  the  city,  saying,  "  If  thou  hadsi  known,  and  indeed  in 
this  day,  the  things  that  belong  to  thy  peace  !  but  now  it  is  hid  from 
thine  eyes  "  (xix.  41,  42). 

Those  who  think  of  these  words  and  those  that  follow,  from  the 
sense  of  die  letter  onl)  ,  because  they  recognize  no  other  sense,  be- 


CHAP.    VI.,    VFRSE  4.-     N.    .^'"'.^L'^]-  7^3 

Heve  that  these  \voi\l.s  wcil-  spoken  ])y  the  Lord  re.spectiiii;  the 
destru6lion  of  Jerusalem  ;  but  as  all  things  that  the  Lord  spake 
were  from  the  Divine,  they  did  not  relate  to  worldly  and  temporal 
things,  but  to  heavenly  and  eternal  things  ;  therefore  "Jerusalem," 
over  which  the  Lord  wept,  signifies  here  as  elsewhere  the  church, 
which  was  then  entirely  vastated,  so  that  there  was  no  longer  any 
truth  and  consequently  no  good,  and  thus  that  they  were  about  to 
perish  for  ever;  therefore  He  .says,  "if  thou  hadst  known,  and  in- 
deed in  this  day,  the  things  that  belong  to  thy  peace,"  that  is,  that 
belong  to  eternal  life  and  happiness,  which  are  from  the  Lord 
alone;  for  "  peace,"  as  was  said,  means  heaven  and  heavenly  joy 
through  conjun6lion  with  the  Lord.     [I0.]    In  the  same, 

Zacharias  prophesying  said,  "The  day-spring  from  on  high  appeareth 
to  them  that  sit  in  darkness  and  in  the  shadow  of  death,  to  guide 
our  feet  into  the  way  of  peace  "  (i.  67,  78,  79). 

This  was  said  of  the  Lord  about  to  come  into  the  world,  and  of 
the  enlightenment  at  that  time  of  those  who  were  out  of  the  church 
and  in  ignorance  of  Divine  truth,  from  not  having  the  Word.  The 
Lord  is  meant  by  "the  day-spring  from  on  high"  which  appear- 
eth ;  and  those  who  are  out  of  the  church  are  meant  by  "  them 
that  sit  in  darkness  and  in  the  shadow  of  death  ;"  and  their  en- 
lightenment in  Divine  truths  through  reception  of  the  Lord  and 
conjundlion  with  Him,  whence  are  heaven  and  eternal  happiness, 
is  meant  by  "the  way  of  peace ;"  "guiding  our  feet  into  it"  sig- 
nifies instru6lion.     [II.]    In  the  same, 

.  The  disciples  praised  God,  saying,  "  Blessed  is  the  king  that  cometh  in 
the  name  of  the  Lord ;  peace  in  heaven,  and  glory  in  the  highest " 
(xix.  37,  38). 

These  things  were  said  by  the  disciples  when  the  Lord  went  to 
Jerusalem,  that  He  might  there,  by  the  passion  of  the  cross,  which 
was  His  last  temptation,  fully  unite  His  Human  to  His  Divine,  and 
might  also  entirely  subjugate  the  hells  ;  and  as  all  Di\'ine  good 
and  truth  would  then  go  forth  from  Him,  they  say,  "Blessed  is 
the  king  that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,"  which  signified 
acknowledgment,  glorification,  and  thanksgiving  that  these  things 
were  from  Him  (see  above,  n.  T^^o[a,i]) ;  "  peace  in  heaven  and  glory 
in  the  highest "  signifies  that  the  things  meant  by  "  peace  "  are  from 
the  union  of  the  Divine  itself  and  the  Divine  Human,  and  that 
angels  and  men  have  them  therefrom  by  conjunction  with  the 
Lord  ;  for  when  the  hells  had  been  subjugated  by  the  Lord,  peace 
was  established  in  heaven,  and  then  those  who  were  there  had 
Divine  truth   from  the  Lord,  which   is  "glory  in  the  highest." 


714  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

(That  "glory"  signifies  Divine  truth  going  forth  from  the  Lord,  see  above,  n.  33, 
288,  345.) 

[r,]  As  "peace"  in  the  internal  sense  of  the  Word  sig;nifies 
the  Lortl  and  heaven  and  eternal  life  therefrom,  and  in  particular, 
the  delight  of  heaven  arising  from  conjun6lion  with  the  Lord,  so 
the  Lord  after  the  resurre6lion,  when  He  appeared  to  the  disci- 
ples, said  to  them, 

"  Peace  be  unto  you  "  {Luke  xxiv.  36,  37  ;  John  xx.  ig,  21,  26). 

[12.]    Again  in  Moses  : 

"Jehovah  bless  thee  and  keep  thee  ;  Jehovah  make  His  faces  to  shine 
upon  thee,  and  be  gracious  unto  thee;  and  Jehovah  lift  up  His 
faces  upon  thee,  and  give  thee  peace  "  {Num.  vi.  24-26). 

Divine  truth,  from  which  is  all  intelligence  and  wisdom,  with 
which  the  Lord  flows  in,  is  meant  by  "Jehovah  make  his  faces  to 
shine  upon  thee  ;"  and  prote6lion  thereby  from  falsities  is  meant 
by  "be  gracious  unto  thee;"  and  the  Divine  good,  from  which 
is  all  love  and  charity,  with  which  the  Lord  flows  in,  is  meant  by 
"Jehovah  lift  up  His  faces  upon  thee  ;"  and  prote6lion  thereby 
from  evils,  and  heaven  and  eternal  happiness  therefrom,  are  meant 
by  "  give  thee  peace ;"  for  when  evils  and  falsities  are  taken 
away  and  no  longer  infest,  the  Lord  flows  in  with  peace,  in  which 
and  from  which  is  heaven  and  the  delight  that  fills  with  bliss  the 
interiors  of  the  mind,  thus  heavenly  joy.  (This  benediaion  may  be 
seen  explained  above  also,  n.  34o[3].)  "  Peace"  has  a  like  signification 
in  David  : 

"Jehovah  will  bless  His  people  with  peace"  {Psalm  xxix.  11), 

[13.]    And  in  the  same, 

"Who  will  show  us  good?  Jehovah,  lift  Thou  up  the  light  of  Thy  faces 
upon  us.  Thou  givest  joy  in  my  heart  more  than  at  the  time  when 
their  corn  and  new  wine  are  increased.  In  peace  I  at  the  same 
time  lie  down  and  sleep ;  for  Thou  alone,  O  Jehovah,  dost  make 
me  to  dwell  securely  "  {Psalm  iv.  6-8)  : 

This  describes  the  peace  that  those  have  who  are  in  conjun6lion 
with  the  Lord  through  reception  of  Divine  good  and  Divine 
truth  from  Him,  and  teaches  that  such  is  the  peace  in  which  and 
from  which  is  heavenly  joy.  Divine  good  is  meant  by  "  Who  will 
show  us  good?"  and  Divine  truth  by  "lift  Thou  up  the  light  of 
Thy  faces  upon  us,"  "the  light  of  the  Lord's  faces"  meaning  the 
Divine  light  that  goes  forth  from  Him  as  a  sun  in  the  angelic 
heaven,  which  light  is  in  its  essence  Divine  truth  (as  maybe  seen  in 
H''.aven  and  Hell,  n.  126-140).    Heavenly  joy  therefrom  is  meant  by 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE   4. — N.  365[c].  715 

"  Thou  givest  joy  in  the  heart ;"  multiplication  of  good  and  truth 
is  meant  by  "their  corn  and  new  wine  are  increased,"  "corn" 
signifying  good,  and  "new  wine"  truth.  Because  peace  is  in 
these  and  from  these,  it  is  said,  "  In  peace  I  at  the  same  time  lie 
down  and  sleep  ;  for  Thou  alone,  O  Jehovah,  dost  make  me  to 
dwell  securely,"  "peace"  signifying  the  internal  delight  of 
heaven,  "security"  external  delight,  and  "to  lie  down  and 
sleep"  and  "to  dwell"  signifying  to  live.     [14.]    In  Moses  : 

"  If  ye  walk  in  My  statutes,  and  keep  My  commandments  and  do  them, 
....  I  will  give  peace  in  the  land,  so  that  ye  may  lie  down  securely, 
and  none  shall  make  afraid  ;  and  I  will  cause  the  evil  wild  beast 
to  cease  out  of  the  land,  and  the  sword  shall  not  go  through  the 
land  "  {Lev.  xxvi.  3,  6). 

This  describes  the  source  of  peace,  that  is,  of  heaven  and  heav- 
enly joy.  Peace  viewed  in  itself  is  not  heaven  and  heavenly 
joy,  but  these  e.xist  in  peace  and  from  peace  ;  for  peace  is  like  the 
dawn  or  like  spring-time  in  the  world,  which  dispose  human 
minds  to  receive  in  the  heart  delights  and  pleasures  from  the 
objects  that  then  appear  before  the  eyes,  for  that  is  what  delights 
and  pleases  ;  and  because  all  things  of  heaven  and  of  heavenly 
joy  are  from  Divine  peace,  these  also  are  meant  by  "peace." 
Since  man  has  heaven  from  living  according  to  the  command- 
ments, for  thus  he  has  conjun6lion  with  the  Lord,  it  is  said,  "  If 
ye  walk  in  My  statutes,  and  keep  My  commandments,  and  do 
them,  I  will  give  peace  in  the  land  ;"  that  then  they  would  not  be 
infested  by  evils  and  falsities  is  meant  b)-  "  they  would  lie  down 
securely,  and  none  make  afraid,"  and  by  "Jehovah  will  cause  the 
evil  wild  beast  to  cease  out  of  the  land,  and  the  sword  shall  not 
go  through  it,"  "  evil  wild  beast "  signifying  evil  lusts,  and  "  sword  " 
falsities  therefrom  ;  both  these  destroy  good  and  truth  from  which 
is  peace  ;  and  "  land  "  signifies  the  church.  (That  "  evil  wild  beast "  signi- 
fies evillusts,  and  the  destrudlion  of  good  by  them,  see  A.C.,  n.  4729,  7102,9335  ;  that 
"  sword  "  signifies  falsities,  and  destrudlion  of  truth  by  them,  see  above,  n.  I3I[<51 ; 
and  that  "land  "signifies  the  church,  see  also  above,  n.  29,  304.)    One  who  doeS 

not  rise  above  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word  sees  in  this 
nothing  more  than  that  he  who  lives  according  to  the  statutes  and 
commandments  shall  live  in  peace,  that  is,  shall  have  no  adversa- 
ries or  enemies,  and  in  this  sense  shall  lie  down  securely  ;  also  that 
no  e\'il  wild  beasts  shall  harm  him,  and  that  he  shall  not  perish  by 
a  sword ;  but  this  is  not  the  spiritual  of  the  Word,  yet  the 
Word  in  every  particular  is  spiritual,  and  this  lies  concealed  in  the 
sense  of  its  letter,  which  is  natural ;  its  spiritual  is  what  has  here 
been  explained.     [13.]    In  David : 


7i6  AToCALVi'Sii  e\im,aim:ij. 

"The  niiscral)lc  sliall  [)o«sess  the  land,  and  shall  be  delighted  with  the 

multitude  of  peace Mark  the  perfeifl  man,   and  behold  the 

upright,  for  to  that  man  the  latter  end  is  peace"  (Psalm  xxxvii. 
11.  37). 

"The  miserable"  mean  here  those  who  are  in  temptations  in  the 
world;  "the  multitude  of  peace"  with  which  they  shall  be  de- 
lighted signifies  the  delights  that  follow  temptations  ;  for  after 
temptations  delights  are  given  by  the  Lord  from  the  coniunftion 
of  good  and  truth  tliat  follows  temptation,  and  consequent  con- 
jimtiion  with  the  Lord.  That  man  has  the  delight  of  peace 
from  conjunction  of  good  and  truth  is  meant  by  "  Mark  the  per- 
fect man,  and  behold  the  upright,  for  to  that  man  the  latter  end 
is  peace. "  The  perfe(?i:ness  which  is  to  be  marked  is  predicated  in 
the  Word  of  good,  and  the  uprightness  which  is  to  be  beheld  is 
predicated  of  truth;  the  "latter  end"  means  the  termination 
when  there  is  peace.     [16.]    In  the  same, 

"  The  mountains  shall  bring  peace  to  the  people,  and  the  hills  in  right- 
eousness  In  His  days  shall  the  righteous  flourish,  and  much 

peace  until  the  moon  be  no  more"  {Psalm  Ixxii.  3,  7). 

This  treats  of  the  Lord's  coming  and  His  kingdom  ;  the  "  mount- 
tains"  which  shall  bring  peace  to  the  people,  signify  love  to  the 
Lord  :  and  the  "hills  in  righteousness"  signify  charity  towards 

the  neighbor.  (That  this  is  the  signification  of  "  mountains  "  in  the  Word,  see 
A.C.,  n.  795,  6435,  10438,  for  the  reason  that  those  who  are  in  love  to  the  Lord  dwell  in 
heaven  upon  mountains,  and  those  who  are  in  charity  towards  the  neighbor  upon 
hills  tluM-e.  n.  10438;  and  Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  188.)     This  makes    clear   that 

"peace"  means  heavenly  joy  which  is  from  conjunc^lion  with  the 
Lord  by  love  ;  "in  His  days  shall  the  righteous  flourish"  signi- 
fies one  ^vho  is  in  the  good  of  love  ;  therefore  it  is  said,  "  and  much 
peace  ;"  for  as  was  said  above,  peace  is  from  no  other  source  than 
the  Lord,  and  His  conjun<5lion  with  those  who  are  in  the  good 
of  love.  It  is  said,  "until  the  moon  be  no  more,"  which  signi- 
fies that  truth  must  not  be  separated  from  good,  but  the  two 
must  be  so  conjoined  as  to  be  a  one,  that  is,  so  that  truth  is  also 
good  ;  for  all  truth  is  of  good  because  it  is  from  good,  and  there- 
fore in  its  essence  is  good  ;  truth  is  such  with  those  who  are  in 
good  of  love  to  the  Lord  from  the  Lord,  who  are  here  meant  by 

the  "  righteous."  (That  the  "  sun  "  signifies  good  of  love,  and  the  "  moon  '* 
truth  therefrom,  see  A.C.,  n.  1521-1531,  2495,  4060,  4696,  7083.)       [17.]     In  Isa- 

iah  : 

"  Unto  us  a  child  is  born,  unto  us  a  Son  is  given  ;  upon  whose  shoulder 
is  dominion  ;  His  name  shall  be  called  Wonderful,  Counsellor,  God, 
Mighty,  Father  of  Eternity,  Prince  of  Peace.  To  the  increase  of 
His  dominion  and  peace  there  shall  be  no  end"  (ix.  6,  7). 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSK  4.— N.  ;'-,(^sld].  717 

These  things  are  said  of  the  Lord's  coming,  of  whom  it  is  said, 
"  Unto  us  a  child  is  born,  unto  us  a  Son  is  given,"  because  "  child  " 
in  the  Word  signifies  good,  here  Divine  good,  and  "son'"  truth, 
here  Divine  truth.  This  is  said  on  account  of  the  marriage  of 
good  and  truth  that  is  in  every  particular  of  the  Word  ;  and  as 
Divine  good  and  Divine  truth  are  from  the  Lord,  He  is  called 
"  Prince  of  Peace,"  and  it  is  said,  "  to  the  increase  of  His  domin- 
ion and  peace  there  shall  be  no  end;"  "dominion"  is  predi- 
cated of  I)ivine  truth,  and  "peace"  of  Divine  good  conjoined  to 
Divine  truth,  therefore  He  is  called  the  "  Prince  of  Peace."    (That 

"  Prince"  is  predicated  of  truths,  and  that  it  signifies  the  chief  truth,  see  A.C.,  n. 
1482.  2089,  5044,  and  above,  n.  29  ;  and  that  "  peace  "  is  predicated  of  the  conjunc- 
tion of  good  and  truth,  see  above  in  this  article.) 

[#f .]  f  18.]  But  as  "  peace  "  is  mentioned  in  many  passages  of 
the  Word,  and  the  explanation  must  be  adapted  to  the  thing 
treated  of,  or  to  the  subject  of  which  it  is  predicated,  and  conse- 
(juently  its  signification  appears  various,  I  will  tell  briefly  what 
"peace"  signifies,  that  the  mind  may  not  be  borne  hither  and 
thither. 

Peace  is  bliss  of  heart  and  soul  arising  from  the  Lord's  con- 
junction with  heaven  and  jvith  the  chnrch,  ayid  this  from  conjunc- 
tion of  good  and  truth  'vith  those  who  are  therein  ;  consequently 
there  is  no  longer  combat  of  evil  and  falsity  against  good  and 
truth,  that  is,  ?io  dissension  or  jvar  in  a  spiritual  sense :  from  this 
is  peace,  in  which  all  fruSIif  cation  of  good  and  miiltiplication  of 
truth  takes  place,  and  thus  comes  all  zvisdom  and  intelligence. 
And  as  this  peace  is  from  the  Lord  alone,  and  from  Him  in  an- 
gels in  heaven,  and  men  in  the  church,  so  ''peace^'  i7i  the  highest 
sense  means  the  Lord,  and  i7i  a  relative  sense,  heaven  and  the 
church,  and  thus  good  conjoined  to  truth  in  those  who  are  there. 

[19.1  From  this  an  idea  can  be  had  of  the  signification  of 
"peace"  in  the  following  passages.     In  David  : 

"  Depart  from  evil  and  do  good  ;  seek  peace,  and  pursue  it "  {Psalm 
xxxiv.  14). 

"Peace"  stands  for  all  things  that  belong  to  heaven  and  the 
church,  from  which  is  the  happiness  of  eternal  life  ;  and  as  only 
those  who  are  in  good  have  that  peace,  it  is  said,  "  depart  from 
evil  and  do  good ;  seek  peace,  and  pursue  it."  [20.]  In  the 
same, 

"  Much  peace  have  they  who  love  Thy  law  ;  and  they  have  none  occa- 
sion of  stumbling.  I  have  hoped  for  Thy  salvation,  O  Jehovah, 
and  have  done  Thy  commandments  "  {Psalm  cxix.  165,  166). 


7l8  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

"Peace"  stands  for  heavenly  blessedness,  happiness,  and  delight,, 
and  as  these  are  granted  only  to  those  that  love  to  do  the  Lord's 
commandments  it  is  said,  "  Much  peace  have  they  who  love 
Thy  law.  I  have  hoped  for  Thy  salvation,  O  Jehovah,  and 
have  done  Thy  conmiandments,"  "saKation"  meanini^  eternal 
life  ;  that  such  are  not  infested  by  evils  and  falsities  is  signified  l^y 
"they  have  none  occasion  of  stumbling."     [21.]    In  Isaiah: 

"  O  Jehovah,  ordain  peace  for  us,  for  Thou  hast  wrought  all  our  works 

for  us"  (xxvi.  12). 

As  peace  is  from  Jehovah  alone,  that  is,  from  the  Lord  and  in 
doing  good  from  Him,  it  is  said,  "  O  Jehovah,  ordain  peace  forus^ 
for  Thou  hast  wrought  all  our  works  for  us."    [22.]   In  the  same, 

"The  angels  of  peace  weep  bitterly  ;  the  highways  are  wasted,  the  way- 
faring man  hath  ceased  "  (xxxiii.  7,  8). 

As  peace  is  from  the  Lord,  and  is  in  heaven  from  Him,  angels  are 
here  called  "angels  of  peace ;"  and  as  those  on  the  earth  who  are 
in  evils  and  in  falsities  therefrom  have  no  peace,  it  is  said  that 
they  "weep  bitterly,"  because  "the  highways  are  wasted,  the  way- 
faring man  hath  ceased  ;"  "highways"  and  "a  way  "  signifying 
goods  of  life  and  truths  of  faith  ;  therefore  "  the  highways  are 
wasted"  signifies  that  there  are  no  longer  goods  of  life,  and  "the 
wayfaring  man  hath  ceased "  signifies  that  there  are  no  longer 
truths  of  faith.     [23.]    In  the  same, 

"  O  that  thou  hadst  hearkened  to  My  commandments  !  then  had  thy  peace 

been  as  a  river,  and  thy  righteousness  as  the  waves  of  the  sea 

There  is  no  peace,  saith  Jehovah,  unto  the  wicked"  (xlviii.  18,  22). 

Because  those  who  live  according  to  the  Lord's  commandments 
have  peace,  and  not  those  who  do  not  so  live,  it  is  said,  "O  that 
thou  hadst  hearkened  to  My  commandments !  then  had  thy 
peace  been  as  a  river  :  there  is  no  peace  unto  the  wicked," 
"peace  as  a  river"  signifying  in  abundance;  "righteousness  as 
the  waves  of  the  sea"  signifying  fructification  of  good  by  truths  ; 
"righteousness"  in  the  Word  is  predicated  of  good,  and  "sea" 
of  truths.      [24.]    In  the  .s;ime, 

"The  mountains  shall  depart,  and  the  hills  be  removed  ;  but  My  mercy 
shall  not  depart  from  with  thee,  the  covenant  of  My  peace  shall 

not  be  removed All  thy  sons  shall  be  taught  of  Jehovah  ; 

and  great  shall  be  the  peace  of  thy  sons"  (liv.  10,  13). 

This  treats  of  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  church.  The  former 
heaven  and  the  former  church  that  were  to  perish  are  meant  by 
"the  mountains  shall  depart,  and  the  hills  be  removed;"  that 
those  who  are  in  the  new  heaven  and  in  the  new  church  will  be 


CHAP.    VI.,   VERSE    4. — N.   365[rt'].  719 

in  good  from  the  Lord  and  possess  heavenly  joy  to  eternity 
through  conjunction  with  the  Lord  is  signified  by,  "My  mercy 
shall  not  depart  from  with  thee,  and  the  covenant  of  My  peace 
shall  not  be  removed,"  "  mercy  "' signifying  good  from  the  Lord, 
and  "covenant  of  peace"  heavenly  joy  from  conjunetion  with 
the  Lord,  "covenant"  meaning  conjunction.  "The  sons  who 
shall  be  taught  of  Jehovah,  and  who  shall  have  great  jjeace," 
mean  those  in  the  new  heaven  and  in  the  new  church  who  will  l>e 
in  truths  from  good  from  the  Lord,  that  they  will  have  eternal 
blissfulness  and  happiness;  "sons"  in  the  Word  signify  those 
who  are  in  truths  from  good  ;  and  that  they  are  "  taught  of  Jeho- 
vah" signifies  that  they  are  in  truths  from  good  from  the  Lord  ; 
and  "great  peace"  signifies  eternal  blissfulness  and  happiness. 
[23.]    In  Ezekiel : 

"  David  .  . .  shall  be  their  prince  for  ever  ;  and  I  will  make  a  covenant  of 
peace  with  them  ;  it  shall  be  a  covenant  of  eternity  with  them  :  and 
I  will  give  them,  and  multiply  them,  and  will  set  My  sanctuary  in 
the  midst  of  them  forever"  (xxxvii.  25,  26). 

This  treats  of  the  Lord  and  of  the  creation  of  a  new  heaven  and 
a  new  church  from  Him.  "  David"  who  shall  be  their  prince  for- 
ever means  the  Lord  ;  "  to  make  a  covenant  of  peace  with  them," 
signifies  heavenly  joy  and  eternal  life  to  those  who  are  conjoined 
to  the  Lord  ;  "covenant  of  peace"  here,  as  above,  meaning  heav- 
enly joy  and  eternal  life  from  conjundlion  with  the  Lord  ;  fruc- 
tification of  good  and  multiplication  of  truth  therefrom  are  sig- 
nified by,  "  I  will  give  them,  and  multiply  them,"  and  as  heaven 
and  the  church  are  therefrom,  it  is  added,  "and  will  set  My 
sanctuary  in  the  midst  of  them  forever,"  "sanCfuary"  meaning 
heaven  and  the  church.     [26.]    In  Malachi : 

"That  My  covenant  may  be  with  Levi ;  . .  .My  covenant  with  him  was 
of  life  and  peace The  law  of  truth  was  in  his  mouth,  and  per- 
versity was  not  found  in  his  lips  ;  he  walked  with  Me  in  peace  and 
uprightness  "  (ii.  4-6). 

"Levi"  signifies  all  who  are  in  good  of  charity  towards  the 
neighbor,  and  in  the  highest  sense,  the  Lord  Himself,  because 
that  good  is  from  Him  ;  here  the  Lord  Himself  is  meant.  "  Cov- 
enant of  life  and  peace"  signifies  the  union  of  His  Divine  with 
His  Divine  Human,  from  which  union  is  all  life  and  peace. 
That  Divine  truth  is  from  Him  is  signified  by  "the  law  of  truth 
was  in  his  mouth,  and  perversity  was  not  found  in  his  lips  ;"  the 
uniting  itself  which  was  effected  in  the  world,  is  meant  by,  "he 
walked  with  Me  in  peace  and  uprightness."     (That  "  Levi    m  the 

Word  signifies  spiritual  love  or  charity,  see  A.C.,  n.  4497,  4502,  4503  ;  and  that  by 
him  in  the  highest  sense  the  Lord  is  meant,  n.  3875,  3877.) 


720  APOCALYPSE  EXPLAINED. 

[e.]    [27.]   In  Ezekicl : 

"And  I  will  make  with  them  a  covenant  of  peace,  and  will  cause  the 
evil  wild  beast  to  cease  out  of  the  land,  that  they  may  dwell  se- 
curely in  the  wilderness,  and  sleep  in  the  woods Then  the 

tree  of  the  field  shall  give  its  fruit,  and  the  land  shall  give  its 
produce,  . . .  when  I  shall  have  broken  the  bonds  of  their  yoke, 
and  delivered  them  out  of  the  hand  of  those  who  make  them  to 
serve  "  (xxxiv.  25,  27). 

This,  too,  treats  of  the  Lord's  coming  and  the  estabhshment  of 
a  new  church  by  Him.  The  coniun6lion  of  those  who  are  of  the 
church  with  the  Lord  is  signified  by  "  covenant  of  peace,"  which 
He  will  then  make  with  them  ;  consequent  protection  and  sectir- 
ity  from  evils  and  falsities  is  signified  by,  "  I  will  cause  the  evil 
wild  beast  to  cease  out  of  the  land,  that  they  may  dwell  securely 
in  the  wilderness,  and  sleep  in  the  woods,"  "evil  wild  beast" 
signifying  evils  of  every  kind,  "the  wilderness  where  they 
shall  dwell  securely"  signifying  that  the  lusts  of  evil  shall  not  in- 
fest, "the  woods  in  which  they  shall  sleep"  signifying  falsities 
therefrom  which  shall  not  infest.  The  fructification  of  good  by 
truths  and  the  multiplication  of  truth  from  good  are  signified  by 
"then  the  tree  shall  give  its  fruit,  and  the  land  shall  give  its 
produce,"  "tree  of  the  field"  signifying  knowledges  of  truth, 
"fruit"  signifying  good  therefrom,  "land"  signifying  the  church 
in  relation  to  good,  thus  also  the  good  of  the  church,  and 
"its  produce"  signifying  consequent  multiplication  of  truth. 
That  these  things  shall  come  to  pass  with  them  when  the  Lord 
has  removed  the  evils  and  falsities  pertaining  to  them  is  signified 
by  "when  I  shall  have  broken  the  bonds  of  their  yoke,  and  de- 
livered them  out  of  the  hand  of  those  who  make  them  to  serve  ;" 
"bonds  of  the  yoke"  meaning  delights  of  evil  from  love  of  self 
and  the  world,  which  keep  them  bound,  and  "  those  who  make 
them  to  serve"  meaning  falsities,  since  these  make  them  to  serve 
those  e\ils.     [28.]    \x\  Zecharmk : 

"  Seed  of  peace  shall  they  be  ;  the  vine  shall  give  its  fruit,  and  the  land 

shall  give  its  produce,  and  the  heavens  shall  give  their  dew 

Speak  ye  the  truth  a  man  with  his  companion  ;  judge  the  truth  and 
the  judgment  of  peace  in  your  gates  ;  . . .  .  but  love  ye  truth  and 
peace  "  (viii.  12,  16,  19). 

Those  are  called  "seed  of  peace"  with  whom  there  is  the  con- 
junction of  good  and  truth  ;  and  because  such  are  meant  by 
"seed  of  peace"  it  is  said,  "the  vine  shall  give  its  fruit,  and  the 
land  its  produce,"  " the  \'ine  shall  give  its  fruit"  signifies  that 
truth  shall  bring  forth  good,  and  "  the  land  shall  give  its  pro- 
duce" signifies  that  good  shall  bring  forth  truths:  for  "vine" 
sig^nifies  the  church  in  relation  to  truths,  that  is,  the  truths  of  the 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE   4. — N.    365[^].  72  I 

church,  and  "land"  signifies  the  church  in  relation  to  good,  that 
is,  the  good  of  the  church,  and  "produce"  signifies  production 
of  truth.  "  The  heavens  which  shall  give  their  dew"  signify  the 
frudtification  of  good  and  the  multiplication  of  truth.  The  con- 
junction of  truth  and  good  is  further  described  by  "  Speak  ye  the 
truth  a  man  with  his  companion  ;  judge  the  truth  and  the  judgment 
of  peace  in  your  gates  ;  but  love  ye  truth  and  peace,"  "truth" 
signifying  what  is  true,  "judgment  of  peace"  and  "peace"  sig- 
nifying conjun(5lion  of  trutli  with  good.     [29.]     In  David  : 

Jehovah  "will  speak  peace  to  His  people  and  to  His  saints,  that   they 

may  not  turn  again  to  folly Mercy  and  righteousness  meet 

together;   righteousness  and  peace  do  kiss  each  other"  [Psalm 
Ixxxv.  8,  10). 

"Jehovah  will  speak  peace  to  His  people  and  to  His  saints"  sig- 
nifies that  He  will  teach  and  give  conjun6lion  with  Himself  by 
the  conjunction  of  good  and  truth  in  them,  "peace"  signifying 
both  these  conjunctions,  "people"  those  who  are  in  truths  from 
good,  and  "saints"  those  who  are  in  good  by  means  of  truths  ; 
that  such  thereafter  have  not  evil  from  falsity,  or  falsity  from  evil, 
is  signified  by  "  that  they  may  not  turn  again  to  folly."  Both 
these  conjunctions  are  fiirther  described  by  "mercy  and  righteous- 
ness meet  together,  righteousness  and  peace  do  kiss  each  other." 
"  mercy  "  here  signifying  removal  from  falsities,  and  consequent 
possession  of  truths,  [which  makes  clear  the  signification  of  "mercy 
and  righteousness  meet  together,"]  and  "righteousness"  signif\- 
ing  removal  from  evils  and  consequent  possession  of  goods, 
which  makes  clear  the  signification  of  "  righteousness  and  peace 
do  kiss  each  other."     [30.]    In  Isaiah: 

"  How  joyous  upon  the  mountains  are  the  feet  of  him  that  proclaimeth 
good  tidings,  that  maketh  peace  to  be  heard ;  that  proclaimeth  good 
tidings  of  good,  that  maketh  salvation  to  be  heard  ;  that  saith  unto 
Zion,  Thy  King  reigneth  "  (lii.  7). 

This  is  said  of  the  Lord,  and  "peace"  here  signifies  the  Lord 
Himself,  and  thus  heaven  to  those  who  are  conjoined  to  Him  ; 
"  to  proclaim  good  tidings  "  signifies  to  preach  these  things  ;  and 
as  this  conjunction  is  eflfeCled  by  love  it  is  said,  "  proclaim  good 
tidings  upon  the  mountains  "  and  "say  unto  Zion,"  "mountains" 
signifying  here,  as  above,  good  of  love  to  the  Lord,  and  "  Zion  " 
signifying  a  church  that  is  in  that  good  ;  and  the  Lord  is  meant 
by  "  thy  King,"  who  reigneth.  Because  conjunction  of  truth  and 
good  from  conjimClion  with  the  Lord  is  signified  by  "peace"  it 
is  said,  "maketh  peace  to  be  heard,  proclaimeth  good  tidings  of 
good,  maketh  salvation  to  be  heard,"  "proclaiming  good  tidings 
of  good"  signifying  conjunction  with  the  Lord  by  good,  and 


722  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

"  making  salvation  to  be  heard"  signifying  conjun6lion  with  Him 
by  truths  and  by  a  Hfe  according  to  them,  for  thereby  is  salva- 
tion.    [31.]    In  the  same, 

"  But  He  was  pierced  for  our  trangressions,  He  was  bruised  for  our 
iniquities  ;  the  chastisement  of  our  peace  was  upon  Him,  and  by 
His  wound  healing  was  given  to  us"  (liii.  5). 

This  is  said  of  the  Lord,  of  whom  this  chapter  evidently  treats, 
and  these  words  describe  the  temptations  that  He  underwent  in 
the  world  that  He  might  subjugate  the  hells,  and  reduce  all 
things  there  and  in  the  heavens  into  order.  These  grievous 
temptations  are  meant  by  "He  was  pierced  for  our  transgres- 
sions, and  bruised  for  our  iniquities,"  and  "the  chastisement  of 
our  peace  was  upon  Him."  "  B)^  His  wound  healing  was  given 
to  us"  signifies  salvation  by  that  means.  Therefore  "peace" 
here  signifies  heaven  and  eternal  life  to  those  who  are  conjoined 
with  Him  ;  for  the  human  race  could  by  no  means  be  saved  if 
the  Lord  had  not  reduced  all  things  in  the  heavens  and  in  the 
hells  into  order,  and  at  the  same  time  glorified  His  Human,  and 
these  were  accomplished  by  temptations  admitted  into  His  Hu- 
man.    [32.]    In  yeremiah : 

"  Behold  I  will  cause  to  go  up  unto  them  health  and  cure ;  and  I  will 
heal  them,  and  will  reveal  unto  them  the  healing  of  peace  and  truth. 
....  All  the  nations  of  the  earth,  which  shall  hear  all  the  good  that 
I  am  about  to  do  unto  them  ;  that  they  may  fear  and  tremble  for  all 
the  good  and  for  all  the  peace  that  I  am  about  to  do  unto  them  " 
(xxxiii.  6,  9). 

This  also  is  said  of  the  Lord,  that  he  will  deliver  from  evils  and 
falsities  those  who  are  in  conjun6lion  with  Hiin.  Deliverance 
from  evils  and  falsities  is  signified  by  "  I  will  cause  to  go  up  unto 
them  health  and  cure,  and  I  will  heal  them  ;"  for  to  be  healed 
spiritually  is  to  be  delivered  from  evils  and  falsities,  and  as  this 
is  eifedled  by  the  Lord  by  means  of  truths  it  is  said,  "and  I  will 
reveal  unto  them  the  healing  of  peace  and  truth."  "Nations  of 
the  earth  "  signify  those  who  are  in  evils  and  falsities,  of  whom  it 
is  said  that  "they  shall  fear  and  tremble  for  all  the  good  and  for 
all  the  peace  that  I  am  about  to  do  unto  them."    [33.]    In  David  : 

"  He  will  redeem  my  soul  in  peace,  that  they  come  not  near  to  me  " 

{Psalm  Iv.  18)  ; 

"to  redeem  my  soul  in  peace"  signifies  salvation  through  con- 
jun6lion  with  the  Lord,  and  "that  they  come  not  near  to  me" 
signifies  consequent  removal  of  evils  and  falsities.  [34.]  In 
Ilaggai  : 

"  The  glory  of  this  latter  house  shall  be  greater  than  of  the  former 

for  in  this  place  will  I  give  peace  "  (ii.  g\ 


CHAP.   VI.,   VERSE   4. — N.  365Q/"].  723 

"House  of  God"  sigiiifit's  the  church;  "former  house"  the 
church  that  was  before  the  Lord's  coming;  and  "latter  house" 
the  church  that  was  after  His  coming;  "glory"  signifies  Divine 
truth  that  was  in  these;  and  "the  peace"  that  He  will  give  in 
this  place,  that  is,  in  the  church,  means  all  these  things  that  are 
signified  by  "peace"  (of  which  above,  and  which  see). 
[/.]    [35.]  In  David  : 

"  Seek  the  peace  of  Jerusalem  ;  let  them  be  at  rest  that  love  thee  ;  peace 
be  in  thy  outwork,  quietness  in  thy  palaces  ;  for  the  sake  of  my 
brethren  and  companions  I  will  say,  Peace  be  in  thee  ;  for  the  sake 
of  the  house  of  Jehovah  our  God  I  will  seek  good  for  thee  "  {Psalm 
cxxii.  6-9). 

"Jerusalem  "  does  not  mean  Jerusalem,  but  the  church  in  relation 
to  do(5trine  and  worship  ;  "peace"  means  everything  of  doctrine 
and  worship,  for  when  these  are  from  a  heavenly  origin,  that  is, 
out  of  heaven  from  the  Lord,  then  they  are  from  peace  and  in 
peace,  from  which  is  evident  what  is  meant  by  "seek  the  peace 
of  Jerusalem  ;"  and  as  those  who  are  in  that  peace  are  said  to  be 
"at  rest,"  it  is  also  said,  "let  them  be  at  rest  that  love  thee," 
that  is,  that  love  the  do6lrine  and  worship  of  the  church. 
"  Peace  be  in  thy  outwork,  and  quietness  in  thy  palaces,"  signi- 
fies in  the  exterior  and  the  interior  man ;  for  the  exterior  man 
with  the  things  that  are  in  it,  which  are  natural  knowledges  (sd- 
entifica)  and  delights,  is  like  an  outwork  or  fortification  to  the  in- 
terior man,  since  it  is  without  or  before  it  and  prote<5ls  it ;  and 
the  interior  man  with  the  things  that  are  in  it,  which  are  spiritual 
truths  and  goods,  is  like  a  palace  or  house,  since  it  is  within  the 
exterior ;  therefore  the  exterior  things  of  a  man  are  signified  by 
"an  outwork,"  and  his  interior  things  by  "palaces;"  and  the 
same  is  true  elsewhere  in  the  Word.  "  For  the  sake  of  my 
brethren  and  companions"  signifies  for  the  sake  of  those  who 
are  in  goods  and  in  truths  therefrom,  and  in  a  sense  abstradled 

from  persons  it  signifies  goods  and  truths.  (That  these  are  meant  by 
"  brethren  "  and  "  companions  "  in  the  Word,  see  A.C..  n.  10490,  and  above,  n.  47-) 

"The  house  of  Jehovah  our  God  "  signifies  the  church  in  which 
these  things  are.     [36.]    In  the  same, 

"  Praise  Jehovah,  O  Jerusalem,  celebrate  Thy  name,  O  Zion  !  . . . .  Who 
setteth  thy  border  peace,  and  satisfieth  thee  with  the  fat  of  wheat " 
{Psalm  cxlvii.  12,  14). 

"Jerusalem"  and  "Zion"  mean  the  church,  "Jerusalem"  the 
church  in  relation  to  truths  of  doctrine,  and  "  Zion  "  the  church 
in   relation   to  goods  of  love  :    "  the  name  "  of  Jehovah,  which 


724  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

Zion  will  celebrate,  signifies  everything  of  worship  from  good 
of  love  ;  "  who  setteth  thy  border  peace"  signifies  all  things  of 
heaven  and  the  church,  for  "border"  signifies  all  things  of  tb(  he, 
since  in  the  "  border,"  that  is,  the  outmost,  are  all  things  in  ihe 

complex    (see  A.C.,  n.  634,  5897,  6239,  6451,  6465,  8603,  9215,  9216,  9824,  9828, 

9836,  9905, 10044, 10099.  10329. 10335, 10548).  "He  satisfieth  thee  with 
the  fat  of  wheat "  signifies  with  every  good  of  love  and  with  wis- 

doni  (for  "  fat  "  signifies  good  of  love,  see  A.C.,  n.  5943,  6409, 10033  >  ^n<i  wheat  " 
signifies  all  things  that  are  from  good  of  love,  in  particular  the  truths  of  heaven  and 
wisdom  therefrom,  n.  3941,  7605).      [37.]     In  the  same, 

"  Jehovah  shall  bless  thee  out  of  Zion  ;  that  thou  mayest  see  the  good  of 
Jerusalem  all  the  days  of  thy  life ;  that  thou  mayest  see  the  sons 
of  thy  sons,  peace  upon  Israel"  {Psalm  cxxviii.  5,  6). 

"Zion"  and  "Jerusalem,"  here  as  above,  signify  the  church  in 
relation  to  goods  of  love  and  in  relation  to  truths  of  doctrine ; 
the  words  "Jehovah  bless  thee  out  of  Zion"  mean  blessing  that 
is  from  good  of  love,  for  "  Zion  "  signifies  the  church  in  relation 
to  the  good  of  love  ;  and  as  from  that  good  every  good  and 
truth  of  do6lrine  goes  forth  and  has  existence,  it  is  said  "  that 
thou  mayest  see  the  good  of  Jerusalem,  and  the  sons  of  thy 
sons;"  "sons  of  sons  "  signifying  truths  of  do6lrine  and  their 
multiplication  to  eternity.  As  all  these  things  are  from  the 
Lord  and  through  the  peace  which  is  from  Him,  the  concluding 
words  are,  "  that  thou  mayest  see  peace  upon  Israel,"  "  Israel" 
meaning  those  in  whom  is  the  church.     [38.]    In  the  same, 

"In  Salem  is  the  tabernacle  of  God,  and  His  dwelling-place  in  Zion. 
There  brake  He  the  flashes  of  the  bow,  the  shield,  and  the  sword, 
and  war  "  {Psalm  Ixxvi.  2,  3). 

Jerusalem  is  here  called  Salem,  because  "  Salem  "  signifies  peace, 
from  which  also  Jerusalem  was  named.  It  was  so  named  be- 
cause "  peace  "  signifies  all  those  things  that  have  been  briefly 
mentioned  above,  and  which  may  be  referred  to.  "The  taber- 
nacle of  God"  that  is  in  it  signifies  the  church  which  is  from 
these  things;  "His  dwelling-place  in  Zion"  signifies  good  of 
love,  because  in  that  the  Lord  dwells,  and  from  it  gives  truths 
and  makes  them  bear  fruit  and  multiply  ;  and  because  "  peace  " 
also  signifies  that  there  are  no  longer  combats  of  evil  and  falsity 
against  good  and  truth,  that  is,  no  dissension  or  war  in  a  spirit- 
ual sense,  it  is  said,  "There  brake  He  the  flashes  of  the  bow,  the 
shield,  and  the  sword,  and  war,"  which  signifies  the  cessation  of 
all  combat  of  falsities  of  do^lrine  against  good  and  truth,  and  in 
general  the  cessation  of  all  dissension.    Moreover,  from  "peace  " 


CHAP.  VI.,   VERSE  4.— N.  365[^].  725 

Jerusalem  was  called  "Shalomim"  {Jer.  xiii.  19) ; 

And  on  that  account  Melchizedek,  who  was  the  priest  of  God  Most  High, 
was  king  of  Salem  (peace)  (6V«.  xiv.  18) ; 

and  by  him  the  Lord  was  represented ;  as  is  evident  in  David, 
where  it  is  written, 

"Thou  art  a  priest  forever  after  the  manner  of  Melchizedek"  {Psalm 
ex.  4). 

[f/.]    [39.]   In  Isaiah: 

"  Rejoice  ye  with  Jerusalem,  and  exult  in  her,  all  ye  that  love  her ;.  .  .  . 
that  ye  may  sucjc  and  be  satisfied  from  the  breast  of  her  consola- 
tions, and  may  press  out  and  be  delighted  from  the  splendor  of  her 

glory Behold,  I  spread  over  her  peace  like  a  river,  and  the 

glory  of  the  nations  like  an  overflowing  stream,  that  ye  may  suck  ; 
ye  shall  be  taken  up  to  her  side,  and  be  caressed  upon  her  knees  " 
(Ixvi.  10-12). 

"Jerusalem,"  here  as  above,  means  the  church  in  relation  to  doc- 
trine, or,  what  is  the  same,  the  do6^rine  of  the  church  ;  of  this  it 
is  said,  "  Rejoice  ye  with  Jerusalem,  and  exult  in  her,  all  ye  that 
love  her;"  and  of  do6lrine  it  is  said  further  "that  ye  may  suck 
and  be  satisfied  from  the  breast  of  her  consolations,  and  may 
press  out  and  be  delighted  from  the  splendor  of  her  glory," 
"breast  of  consolations"  signifying  Divine  good,  and  "splen- 
dor of  glory,"  Divine  truth  from  which  is  docl:rine.  That  there 
will  be  all  these  in  abundance  from  conjun6tion  with  the  Lord 
is  signified  by,  "  Behold,  I  spread  over  her  peace  like  a  river,  and 
the  glory  of  the  nations  like  an  overflowing  stream,  that  ye  may 
suck,"  "peace"  signifying  conjun6lion  with  the  Lord,  "glory 
of  the  nations"  conjunction  of  good  and  truth  therefrom,  "to 
suck,"  influx  from  the  Lord,  and  "like  a  river"  and  "an  over- 
flowing stream,"  abundance.  That  from  this  are  spiritual  love 
and  celestial  love,  by  which  conjunction  with  the  Lord  is  effe6led, 
is  signified  by  "  ye  shall  be  taken  up  to  her  side,  and  be  caressed 
upon  her  knees,"  "the  side"  signifying  spiritual  love,  and 
"knees"  celestial  love,  and  "to  be  taken  up  and  caressed"  sig- 
nifying eternal  happiness  from  conjun6lion.  (That  the  "  breast  "■  sig- 
nifies spiritual  love,  and  also  "  the  side"  or  "  bosom,"  see  above,  n.  65  ;  that  "  knees  " 
signify  conjugial  love,  and  therefore  celestial  love,  see  A.C.,  n.  3021,4280, 5050-5062. )• 

That  "glory"  signifies  Divine  truth,  and  intelligence  and  wisdom 
therefrom,  may  be  seen  above  (n.  33,  288,  345) ;  and  that  "na- 
tions" signify  those  who  are  in  the  good  of  love,  and  in  a  sense 
abstra6led  from  persons,  goods  of  love,  may  also  be  seen  abo\e 
(n,  i75[«],  331);  therefore  "the  glory  of  the  nations"  signifies 
genuine  truth  which  is  from  good  of  love,  thus  the  conjunction 
of  these.     [40.]    In  the  same, 


726  APOCALYPSIi    liXI'LAINKI). 

"The  work  of  Jehovah  is  peace;  and  the  labor  of  rijijhteousness.  quiet- 
ness and  security  even  for  ever  ;  that  My  people  may  dwell  in  a 
habitation  of  peace,  and  in  tents  of  securities,  and  in  quiet  resting- 
places"  (xxxii.  17,  18). 

"Peace  "is  called  "the  work  oi  Jehovah,"  because  it  is  solely 
from  the  Lord;  and  everything  that  comes  lorth  out  of  peace 
from  the  Lord  with  those  who  are  in  conjunction  with  the  Lord 
is  called  "a  work  of  Jehovah  ;"  therefore  it  is  said,  "the  work 
of  Jehovah  is  peace."  The  "labor  of  righteousness"  signifies 
good  conjoined  to  truth,  in  which  is  peace;  for  "labor"  in  the 
Word  is  predicated  of  truth,  "  righteousQess "  of  good,  and 
"quietness"  of  the  peace  therein;  "security  forever"  signifies 
that  thus  there  will  be  no  infestation  or  fear  from  evils  and  falsi- 
ties. This  makes  clear  the  signification  of  "  that  My  people  may 
dwell  in  a  habitation  of  peace,  and  in  tents  of  securities,  and  in 
quiet  resting-places,"  namely,  that  they  may  be  in  heaven  where 
the  Lord  is,  and  in  the  good  of  love  and  of  worship  therefrom, 
without  infestation  from  the  hells,  and  thus  in  the  delights  of  good 
and  the  pleasantnesses  of  truth  ;  "  habitation  of  peace"  meaning 
heaA-en  where  the  Lord  is  ;  "  tents  of  securities  "  the  goods 
therefrom  of  love  and  of  worship  without  infestation  by  evils  and 
falsities  from  hell ;  and  "  quiet  resting-places "  the  delights  of 
good,  and  the  pleasantnesses  of  truth.     (That  "tents  "signify  goods  of 

love  and  of  worship,  see  ^.C,  n.  414,  1102,  2145,2152,  3312,  4391, 10545.)    [41.)     In 

the  same, 

"For  brass  I  will  bring  gold,  and  for  iron  I  will  bring  silver and  for 

stones  iron  ;  I  will  also  make  thy  government  peace,  and  thine  ex- 
acflors  righteousness.  Violence  shall  no  more  be  heard  in  thy  land, 
wasting  and  breaking  within  thy  borders"  (Ix.  17,  18). 

This  chapter  treats  of  the  Lord's  coming  and  a  new  heaven  and 
new  church  at  that  time  ;  and  these  words  mean  that  there  are 
to  be  those  who  are  spiritual,  and  not  natural  as  before,  that  is, 
those  who  are  conjoined  with  the  Lord  by  the  good  of  love ;  and 
that  there  shall  no  longer  be  a  separation  between  the  internal 
or  spiritual  man  and  the  external  or  natural.  That  there  are  to 
be  those  who  are  spiritual,  and  not  natural  as  before,  is  signified 
by  "for  brass  I  will  bring  gold,  for  iron  silver,  and  for  stones 
iron,"  "brass,"  "iron,"  and  "stones"  signifying  things  natural, 
and  "gold,"  "silver,"  and  "iron"  in  place  thereof,  signifying 
things  spiritual;  "gold"  spiritual  good,  "silver"  the  truth  of 
that  good,  and  "iron  "  spiritual-natural  truth.  That  the  Lord 
is  to  rule  by  the  good  of  love  is  signified  by,  "  I  will  make  thy 
government  peace,  and  thine  exa6lors  righteousness,"  "  govern- 
ment "  signifying  rule,  "  peace  "  the  Lord,  and  "  righteousness" 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE  4.— N.  365[A].  727 

good  from  Him.  That  there  is  no  longer  to  be  a  separation  be- 
tween the  spiritual  and  the  natural  man  is  signified  by  "  violence 
shall  no  more  be  heard  in  thy  land,  wasting  and  breaking  within 
thy  borders,"  "violence"  signifying  separation,  "land"  the  in- 
ternal spiritual  man,  because  there  the  church  is,  which  in  gen- 
eral is  signified  by  "land  ;"  "  wasting  and  breaking  shall  be  no 
more"  signifies  that  there  shall  no  longer  be  evils  and  falsi- 
ties ;  and  "  within  thy  borders  "  signifies  in  the  natural  man,  for 
in  things  in  the  natural  man  spiritual  things  are  terminated. 
"  Wasting  and  breaking  "  signify  evils  and  falsities,  because  evils 
waste  the  natural  man,  and  falsities  break  it  up. 

[Il«]  [42.]  As  those  have  peace  who  are  in  the  conjundlion 
of  good  and  truth  from  the  Lord,  and  as  evil  destroys  good,  and 
falsity  destroys  truth,  so  do  these  destroy  peace.  From  this  it 
follows  that  those  who  are  in  evils  and  falsities  have  no  peace.  It 
appears  as  if  they  had  peace  when  they  have  success  in  the  world, 
and  they  even  seem  to  themselves  at  such  times  to  be  in  a  con- 
tented state  of  mind  ;  but  that  apparent  peace  is  only  in  their 
most  external  parts,  while  inwardly  there  is  no  peace,  for  they 
think  of  honor  and  gain  without  limit,  and  cherish  in  their  minds 
cunning,  deceit,  enmities,  hatreds,  revenge,  and  many  like  things, 
which,  unknown  to  themselves,  rend  and  devour  the  interiors 
of  their  minds,  and  thus  also  the  interiors  of  their  bodies. 
That  this  is  so  with  them  is  clearly  seen  after  death,  when  they 
come  into  their  interiors ;  these  delights  of  their  minds  are  then 

turned   into   their   contraries    (as  is  evident  from  what  has  been  shown  in 

Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  485-490).  [43.]  That  those  have  peace  who  are 
in  good  and  in  truths  therefrom,  and  that  those  who  are  in 
■evils  and  in  falsities  therefrom  have  no  peace,  can  be  seen  from 
the  following  passages.     In  Isaiah : 

**  The  wicked  are  like  the  troubled  sea,  when  it  cannot  rest,  but  its  waters 
cast  up  filth  and  mud[ ;  there  is  no  peace,  saith  my  God,  to  the  wick- 
ed] "  (Ivii.  20,  21). 

In  the  same, 

'Their  feet  run  to  evil,  and  they  make  haste  to  shed  innocent  blood ; 
their  thoughts  are  thoughts  of  iniquity  ;  wasting  and  breaking  are 
in  their  paths.  The  way  of  peace  they  know  not ;  and  there  is  no 
judgment  in  their  courses  ;  they  have  perverted  their  paths  for 
themselves ;  whosoever  treadeth  therein  doth  not  know  peace " 
(Hx.  7.  8). 

In  David  : 

"  Too  much  hath  My  soul  dwelt  with  the  hater  of  peace.  I  am  for  peace ; 
but  when  I  speak,  they  are  for  war"  {Psalm  cxx.  6,  7). 


7^8  APOCALYPSr.    KXI'I.AINKD. 

In  Ezekicl : 

The  prophets  "  seduce  My  people,  saying  Peace,  when  there  is  no  peace  ; 
and  when  one  buildeth  a  wall,  lo,  they  daub  it  with  untempered 

mortar The  prophets  of  Israel ....  see  a  vision  of  peace,  when 

there  is  no  peace"  (xiii.  lo,  i6). 

In  jfereviiah : 

"All,  from  the  least  unto  the  greatest,  pursue  gain  ;  from  the  prophet 
even  unto  the  priest  every  one  doeth  a  lie.  And  they  heal  the 
bruise  of  the  daughter  of  My  people  by  a  word  of  no  weight,  say- 
ing, Peace,  peace,  when  there  is  no  peace"  (viii.  lo,  li). 

In  the  same, 

"A  voice  of  the  cry  of  the  shepherds,  and  a  wailing  of  the  powerful  of 
the  flock,  for  Jehovah  layeth  waste  his  pasture,  therefore  the  folds 
of  peace  are  laid  waste  because  of  the  heat  of  Jehovah's  anger" 
(xxv.  36,  37). 

In  David : 

"There  is  no  soundness  in  my  flesh  because  of  Thine  indignation  ;  there 
is  no  peace  in  my  bones  because  of  my  sin  "  {Psalm  xxxviii.  3). 

In  Lamentations: 

"  He  hath  filled  me  with  bitterness,  he  hath  made  me  drunken  with  worm» 
wood ; . . . .  and  my  soul  is  removed  from  peace  ;  I  forgot  good  "  (Hi. 

15, 17) ; 

besides  other  passages.  [44.]  Since  peace  in  its  first  origin  is 
from  the  union  in  the  Lord  of  the  Divine  itself  and  the  Divine 
Human,  and  is  therefore  from  the  Lord  in  His  conjun(5lion  with 
heaven  and  with  the  church  and  in  the  conjundlion  of  good  and 
truth  in  every  one  therehi,  so  the  Sabbath,  which  was  the  most 
holy  representative  of  the  church,  was  so  called  from  rest  or 
peace ;  and  so  also  the  sacrifices  which  were  called  "peace  offer- 
ings" were  commanded 

(respeding  which  see  Exod.  xxiv.  5  ;  xzxii.  6;  Lev.  iU.  3 ;  iv.  20,  26,  31^ 
35  ;  vi.  12  ;  vii.  11  ;  xiv.  20,  21,  33  ;  xvii.  5  ;  xix.  5 ;  Num.  vL  17; 
Ezek.  xlv.  15  ;  Amos  v.  22  ;  and  elsewhere) ; 

and  therefore  Jehovah  is  said 

To  have  smelled  "  an  odor  of  rest "  from  the  burnt  offerings  {Exod.  zxlz. 
18,  25,  41 ;  Lev.  i.  9,  13,  17  ;  ii.  2,  9;  vi.  15,  21 ;  xxiii.  12,  13,  18; 
Num.  XV.  3,  7,  13 ;  xxviii.  6,  8,  13  ;  xxix.  2,  6,  8,  13,  36); 

"odor  of  rest"  signifying  perception  of  peace. 

336.  "  That  they  should  slay  one  another"  signifies  the  falsi- 
fication or  extiJiflion  of  truths. — This  is  evident  from  the  signi- 
fication of  "  slaying,"  as  meaning  the  extinction  of  truths  ;  for 
"to  slay"  in  the  Word  signifies  to  slay  spiritually,  that  is,  to  slay 
the  spiritual  part  of  a  man  or  his  soul,  which  is  to  extinguish 
truths.    It  also  means  to  falsify,  because  when  truths  are  falsified 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE   4. — N.   366.  729 

they  are  also  extinguished  ;  for  falsification  produces  a  different 
understanding  of  truths,  and  truth  is  true  to  any  one  according 
to  his  understanding  of  it ;  for  the  love  and  principle  that  rule 
in  man  draw  and  join  all  things  to  themselves,  even  truths  ;  con- 
sequently when  the  love  is  evil,  or  the  principle  is  false,  then 
truths  are  infe6led  with  the  evil  of  the  love  or  the  falsity  of  the 
principle,  and  thus  are  extinguished.  This,  therefore,  is  what  is 
here  signified  by  "they  should  slay  one  another."  That  this 
takes  place  when  there  is  no  good  in  man,  and  especially  when 
there  is  no  good  in  the  do6lrine  of  his  church,  is  evident  from 
the  preceding  words,  where  it  is  said,  "  When  he  had  opened  the 
second  seal  there  went  forth  a  red  horse  ;  and  to  him  that  sat 
upon  him  it  was  given  to  take  peace  from  the  earth  ;"  which 
signifies  a  second  state  of  the  church  when  the  understanding 
of  the  Word  is  destroyed  in  respe<5l  to  good,  which  is  the  source 
of  dissensions  in  the  church  (of  which  see  above,  n.  361,  364,  365). 
[2.]  That  understanding  of  the  Word,  or  what  is  the  same,  un- 
derstanding of  truth,  is  destroyed  when  there  is  no  good  in  man, 
that  is,  when  there  is  no  love  to  the  Lord  and  charity  towards 
the  neighbor,  may  be  seen  above  (n.  365[a]) ;  for  good  in  man, 
or  what  is  the  same,  love  in  him,  is  the  fire  of  his  life,  and  truth 
in  him,  or  the  faith  of  truth,  is  the  light  therefrom  ;  consequently 
such  as  the  good  is,  or  such  as  the  love  is  in  man,  such  is  the  truth, 
or  the  faith  of  truth  in  him.  From  this  it  can  be  seen  that  when 
evil  or  evil  love  is  in  man  there  can  be  no  truth  or  faith  of  truth 
in  him  ;  for  the  light  that  goes  forth  from  such  fire  is  the  light 
that  those  have  who  are  in  hell,  which  is  a  fatuous  light  like  the 
light  from  burning  coals,  which  light,  when  light  from  heaven 
flows  in,  is  turned  into  pure  darkness.  Such  also  is  the  light  that 
in  the  evil,  when  they  reason  against  the  things  of  the  church, 
is  called  natural  light  (lumen).  [3.]  That  they  would  falsify  and 
thereby  extinguish  truths  is  meant  also  by  the  Lord's  words  in 
Matthew  : 

Jesus  said  to  the  disciples,  "The  brother  shall  deliver  up  the  brother, 
....  the  father  the  son  ;  children  shall  rise  up  against  parents,  and 
cause  them  to  be  put  to  death"  (x.  21). 

And  in  Luke  : 

"  Ye  shall  be  delivered  up  by  parents,  and  brethren,  and  kinsfolk,  and 
friends  ;  and  some  of  you  shall  they  cause  to  be  put  to  death  "  (xxi. 

16). 

"Parents,"  "brethren,"  "children,"  ["kinsfolk,"]  and  "friends," 
do  not  mean  here  parent.*;,  brethren,  children,  kinsfolk,  friends, 
nor  do  "disciples"  mean  disciples,  l)ut  the  goods  and  truths 


730  APOCALYPSE    EXPI.AINKL). 

of  the  church,  also  evils  and  falsities ;  it  is  also  meant  that  c\i!ii 
would  extinguish  goods  and  falsities  truths,  ii'iiat  >mii  is  tin- signifi- 
cation of  these  wonls,  see  .■I.C.,  n.  10490.) 

367»  "^/^d  to  him  was  given  a  great  sword"  signifies  f^y 
means  of  falsities. — This  is  e\ident  from  the  signification  of 
"sword  {machaera  sen giaciiiis),'"  zs  meaning  truth  fighting  against 
falsity  ;  and  in  an  contrary  sense,  falsity  fighting  against  truth 
and  destru6lion  of  truth  (see  above,  n.  131 )  ;  here  it  means  falsity 
fighting  against  truth  and  destroying  it ;  for  it  is  said  just  before 
"that  they  should  slay  one  another,"  which  signifies  the  falsifica- 
tion and  extin6lion  of  truths.  In  the  Wortl  "sword,"  "short- 
sword,"  and  "long  sword,"  are  mentioned  ;  and  "  sword  "  signi- 
fies spiritual  combat  in  general ;  "short  sword  "  combat  of  good 
from  truth  or  of  falsity  from  evil ;  and  "  long  sword"  combat  of 
truth  from  do6lrine  against  falsity,  or  of  falsity  from  doctrine 
against  truth  ;  for  a  "short  sword"  is  for  the  arm,  and  the  "long 
sword"  is  said  to  go  forth  out  of  the  mouth 

(as  in  Apoc.  i.  16  ;  ii.  12,  16;  xix.  15,  21) 

VERSES  5,  6. 

3vc$*  "And  when  he  had  opened  the  third  seal,  I  heard  the  third  animal  saying, 
Come  and  see.  And  I  saw,  and  behold,  a  blach  horse  ;  and  he  that  sat  upon  him  had  a  bal- 
ance in  his  hand.  And  I  heard  a  voice  in  the  midst  of  the  four  animals  saying,  A  measure 
of  wheat  for  a  penny,  and  three  measures  of  barley  for  a  penny  :  and  the  oil  and  the  wine 
hurt  thou  not." 

5.  "And  when  he  had  opened  the  third  seal"  signifies  prediction  respeifling  the 

state  that  next  folloivs  ivith  those  who  are  of  the  church  adhere  the 
Word  is  [n.  369]  ;  "/  heard  the  third  animal  saying"  sii^nities  out  of 
the  inmost  heaven  from  the  Lord  [n.  370]  ;  "Come  and  see"  .dignities 
attention  and  perception  [n.  371]  ;  "and  behold,  a  black  Aorse,' signi- 
fies t{7tderstanding  of  the  Word  destroyed  in  respect  to  truth  [n.  372]  ; 
"and  he  that  sat  upon  him  had  a  balance  in  his  hand "  signifies  the 
estimation  of  truth  from  the  Word  in  that  state  of  the  church  [n.  373]. 

6.  "k  measure  of  wheat  for  a  penny,  and  three  measures  of  barley  for  a 

penny  "  signifies  that  the  genuine  good  of  the  church,  as  well  as  the 
genuine  truth  of  the  church,  is  of  no  account  to  thetn  [n.  374]  ;  "and 
the  oil  and  the  wine  hurt  thou  not"  signifies  that  it  is  provided  that  the 
internal  or  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word  should  suffer  no  harm  either 
in  respetfl  to  good  or  in  respe(fl  to  truth  [n.  375,  376]. 

369.  [  Verse  5.]  "And  when  he  had  opened  the  third  seal"  sig- 
nifies predi5lio7i  respe  fling  the  state  that  next  follows  zvith  those 
who  are  of  the  church  where  the  Word  is. — This  is  evident  from 
what  has  been  said  above  (n.  351,  352,  361) ;  for  this' and  the  fol- 
lowing chapter  treat  of  the  state  of  the  Christian  church,  that  is, 
the  church  where  the  Word  is,  from  its  beginning  to  its  end,  or 
from  the  time  of  the  Lord  down  to  the  last  judgment.  For  the 
new  church  that  is  called  the  Christian  church,  and  that  was 


CHAP.   VI.,    VERSK   5.— N.    370.  73I 

begun  by  the  Lord  when  He  was  in  the  workl,  and  altcrvvards. 
extended,  has  gradually  decreased  down  to  this  time,  which  is  its 
last  time,  in  which  is  the  judgment.  Predictions  respecting  these 
successive  states  of  the  church  are  here  brought  forth,  as  from  a 
book,  by  various  representatives  ;  but  it  is  be  noted  that  such 
predictions  were  not  seen  and  read  in  a  book  when  its  seals  were 
opened,  but  were  made  manifest  through  the  heavens  from  the 
Lord  before  the  angels  of  the  inmost  heaven ;  and  were  repre- 
sented in  the  outmost  parts  of  heaven  by  such  things  as  are  re- 
lated in  this  chapter,  namely,  by  horses  of  different  colors,  and 
afterwards  Ijy  earthquakes,  darkenings  of  the  sun  and  moon,  and 
the  falling  of  the  stars  to  the  earth.  [2.]  These,  however,  were 
appearances  before  the  angels  of  the  outmost  heaven,  signifying 
such  things  as  were  heard  and  perceived  in  the  inmost  heaven 
where  there  were  not  such  appearances  ;  for  whatever  is  heard, 
thought,  and  perceived  in  the  inmost  heaven  from  the  Lord, 
when  it  descends  through  the  middle  heaven  to  the  outmost,  is 
turned  into  such  appearances.  In  this  way  are  the  arcana  of 
Divine  wisdom  brought  forth  before  the  angels  of  the  outmost 
heaven.  Those  there  who  are  intelligent  perceive  these  arcana 
by  correspondences  ;  but  the  lowest  of  them  do  not  perceive, 
but  only  know  that  there  are  arcana  therein,  nor  do  they  inquire 
further;  John  was  with  these  when  "in  the  spirit"  or  in  vision. 
This  has  been  said  to  make  known  how  the  Word  was  written, 
namely,  by  such  things  as  were  seen  and  heard  in  the  outmost 
parts  of  heaven,  thus  by  pure  correspondences  and  representa- 
tives, in  each  one  of  which  lie  concealed  innumerable  and  ineffa- 
ble arcana  of  Divine  wisdom. 

370.  "/  heard  the  third  animal  saying"  signifies  out  of  the 
inmost  heaven  from  the  Lord. — This  is  evident  from  what  has 
been  said  above  (n.  353,  362),  where  there  are  like  words.  The 
four  animals  or  four  cherubim  spoke  one  after  another  because 
the  things  they  said  correspond  by  opposites  ;  for  the  first  cherub 
"was  like  a  lion,"  the  second  "like  a  calf,"  the  third  "  had  a  face 
like  a  man,"  and  the  fourth  "was  like  a  flying  eagle  ;"  and  a 
"lion"  signifies  power  (see  above,  n.  27S)  ;  a  "call"  signifies  good 
(n.  279)  ;  a  "  man  "  wisdom  m.  280)  ;  and  an  "  eagle ""  intelligence  n. 
281 )  ;  consequently  when  the  first  animal,  which  was  like  a  lion,. 
spoke,  the  first  state  of  those  who  are  of  the  church  is  described, 
that  in  that  state  there  would  be  combat  from  Divine  truth  (see 
above,  n.  355-3591,  for  "a  lion"  signifies  the  power  that  belongs. 
to  Divine  truth.  When  the  second  animal,  which  was  like  a  calf, 
spoke,  the  second  state  of  those  who  are  of  the  church  is  dc- 


732  AI'OCAl.Vl'Sl';    l.XI'I.AlMsD. 

scribed,  namely,  that  good  was  destroyed  (st-c  n.  361  367),  for  a 
"  calf"  signifies  the  good  of  the  church.  Wiien  the  third  animal 
spoke,  which  had  a  face  like  a  man,  the  third  state  of  those  vviio 
are  of  the  church  is  described,  which  was  that  there  was  no 
longer  any  truth  because  there  was  no  good,  consequently  tiiat 
there  was  no  longer  any  wisdom,  for  all  wisdom  is  of  truth  from 
good,  and  wisdom  is  signified  by  "man."  And  when  the  fourth 
animal,  which  was  like  a  flying  eagle,  spoke,  the  fourth  state  of 
those  who  are  of  the  church  is  described,  namely,  that  they  were 
in  evils  and  in  falsities  therefrom,  thus  in  no  intelligence,  for 
intelligence  is  signified  by  "an  eagle."  From  all  this  it  is  clear 
that  the  four  animals  spoke  in  order  according  to  correspond- 
ences, but  by  opposites. 

371.  "Come  and  see"  signifies  attention  and  perception,  as 
is  evident  from  what  was  explained  above  where  there  are  like 
words  ui.  354). 

372[/«].  "And  behold,  a  black  horse,"  signifies  tinderstand- 
ing  of  the  Word  destroyed  in  respe^  to  truth. — This  is  evident 
from  the  signification  of  "horse,"  as  meaning  understanding  (see 
nbove,  n.  355) ;  also  from  the  signification  of"  black,"  as  meaning 
what  is  not  true;  thus  "a  black  horse " signifies  understanding 
destroyed  in  respe6l  to  truth.  "  Black "  signifies  what  is  not 
true,  because  "white"  signifies  what  is  true.  That  "white"  is 
predicated  of  truth  and  signifies  it,  may  be  seen  above  (n.  196). 
"  White  "  is  predicated  of  truth  and  signifies  it,  because  white  has 
its  origin  in  the  brightness  of  light,  and  "  light"  signifies  truth  ; 
and  "black"  is  predicated  of  what  is  not  true  and  signifies  it, 
because  black  has  its  origin  in  darkness,  that  is,  in  absence  of 
light ;  and  because  darkness  exists  from  absence  of  light  it  sig- 
nifies ignorance  of  truth.  That  "a  black  horse"  here  signifies 
understanding  of  the  Word  destroyed  in  respecl  to  truth,  is  also 
evident  from  the  signification  of  "  the  red  horse"  (treated  of  above), 
as  meaning  understanding  destroyed  in  respect  to  good.  More- 
over, in  the  church,  in  process  of  time,  good  first  perishes  and 
afterwards  truth,  and  at  length  evil  succeeds  in  place  of  good, 
and  falsity  in  place  of  truth.  This  last  state  of  the  church  is 
meant  by  "the  pale  horse"  (of  which  presently).  [2.]  That 
"black"  signifies  what  is  not  true  is  evident  also  from  other 
passages  in  the  Word,  where  it  is  mentioned.     As  in  Micah  : 

"  It  shall  be  nisi^ht  unto  you  for  v^ision  ;  and  darkness  shall  arise  to  you  for 
divination  ;  and  the  sun  shall  go  down  over  the  prophets,  and  the 
day  shall  y  row  black  over  them  "  (iii.  6). 


CllAl'.  VI.,  VKRSF.   5.— N.  3721^].  733 

The  "prophets"  liere  treated  of  signify  those  who  are  in  truths 
of  do6lrine,  and  in  a  sense  abstracted  from  persons,  truths  of 
do6lrine  ;  that  those  meant  by  "  prophets  "  would  see  evils  and 
divine  falsities  is  signified  by  "  it  shall  be  night  unto  you  for 
vision,  and  darkness  shall  arise  to  you  for  dixination  ;"  that 
they  would  know  neither  good  nor  truth  is  signified  by  "  the 
sun  shall  go  down  over  the  prophets,  and  the  day  shall  grow 
black  over  them,"  "  sun"  signifying  good  of  love,  and  "day" 
truth  of  faith,  and  "  to  grow  black  "  signifying  not  seen  or  known. 
[3.]    In  Ezekiel: 

"  But  when  I  shall  have  extinguished  thee,  I  will  cover  the  heavens,  and 
make  the  stars  thereof  dark  ;  I  will  cover  the  sun  with  a  cloud, 
and  the  moon  shall  not  make  her  light  to  shine  "  (xxxii.  7). 

This  is  said  of  Pharoah  king  of  Egypt,  by  whom  is  signified  the 
knowing  faculty  applied  to  falsities,  which  is  done  when  the 
natural  man  from  things  known  (sdenticu)  enters  into  things  spirit- 
ual instead  of  the  reverse;  because  this. is  contrary  to  order, 
falsities  are  seized  upon  and  corroborated  as  truths  ;  that  then 
nothing  flows  in  from  heaven  is  signified  by  "  I  will  cover  the 
heavens  ;"  and  that  there  are  then  no  knowledges  of  truth  is  sig- 
nified by  "  I  will  make  the  stars  thereof  dark,"  "stars"  meaning 
knowledges  of  truth  ;  that  there  is  consequently  no  good  of  love 
nor  truth  of  faith  is  signified  by  "  I  will  cover  the  sun  with  a 
cloud,  and  the  moon  shall  not  make  her  light  to  shine,"  "sun" 
signifying  good  of  love,  and  " moon"  truth  of  faith.     (That  this  is 

the  signification  of  "  sun  "  and  "  moon,"  see  Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  116-125.) 

[6.]    "Sun,"  "moon,"  and  "stars,"  have  a  like  signification 
in  yoel : 

"  The  earth  was  moved  before  him ;  the  heavens  trembled  ;  the  sun  and 
moon  were  blackened,  and  the  stars  withdrew  their  shining"  (ii.  10  ; 
iii.  15). 

Likewise  in  the  Apocalypse  : 

"The  sun  became  black  as  sackcloth  of  hair,  and  the  moon  became  as 
blood  "  (vi.  12). 

What  these  things  signify  in  particular  will  be  seen  in  what 
follows.     [4.]    In  Ezekiel: 

"  In  the  day  when  he  shall  go  down  into  hell,. ...  I  will  cover  the  abyss 
for  him,  and  I  will  restrain  the  streams  thereof,  that  the  great  wa- 
ters may  be  stopped,  and  I  will  make  Lebanon  black  for  him,  and 
all  the  trees  of  the  field  shall  faint  for  him  "  (xxxi.  15). 

This  is  said  of  "  Assyria,"  which  is  here  compared  to  a  cedar. 
"  Assyria"  here  signifies  reasonin»'  alioiit  the  trnths  of  the  church 


734  Al'OCAI.YPSK    KXPLAINED. 

rrom  self-intelligciicc,  and  "  cedar ''  the  truth  of  the  spiritual  church  ; 
that  by  such  reasoning  all  knowledges  of  truth,  and  with  them  all 
truths  that  savor  of  good  and  have  their  essence  from  good, 
would  be  destroyed  is  signified  by  all  these  words;  the  "abyss" 
which  is  covered  for  him,  and  the  "streams"  that  were  restrained, 
mean  knowledges  of  truth  and  intelligence  therefrom,  the  "abyss" 
or  "sea"  signifying  the  knowing  and  the  cognizing  faculties  in 
general  that  are  in  the  natural  man,  and  "streams"  signifying  the 
things  that  pertain  to  intelligence  ;  the  "great  waters,"  that  shall 
be  shut  up,  signify  truths  which  savor  of  good  and  derive  their 
essence  from  good,  "waters"  mean  truths,  and  "great"  in  the 
Word  is  predicated  of  good.  That  "  Lebanon  was  made  black 
for  him,  and  the  trees  fainted  for  him,"  signifies  that  there  will 
be  no  longer  any  truths  of  the  church,  and  with  its  knowledges 
there  will  be  no  perception  of  truth  ;  for  "  Lebanon,"  the  same 
as  "cedar,"  signifies  the  church  in  respedl  to  truths,  thus  alsa 
the  truths  of  the  church ;  and  "  trees  of  the  field "  signify  the 
church  in  respe6l  to  the  knowledges  of  truth,  thus  also  knowledges 
of  truth  of  the  church,  "trees"  meaning  knowledges  themselves, 
and  "  field  "  the  church  :  from  this  it  is  clear  that  "  to  make  Leba- 
non black  "  signifies  that  there  are  no  longer  any  truths  of  the 
church.     [5.]    In  Lamentations: 

"  The  Nazarites  were  whiter  than  snow,  they  were  brighter  than  milk^ 
....  Their  form  is  more  obscure  than  blackness ;  they  are  not 
known  in  the  streets  "  (iv.  7,  8). 

No  one  can  know  what  this  signifies  unless  he  knows  what 
Nazarites  represented.  "Nazarites"  represented  the  Lord  in 
respe6t  to  the  celestial  Divine ;  and  as  all  the  statutes  of  the 
church  at  that  time  represented  such  things  as  belong  to  heavea 
and  the  church,  thus  to  the  Lord,  for  all  things  of  heaven  and 
the  church  are  from  the  Lord,  and  as  the  Nazariteship  was  the 
chief  representative  of  the  Lord,  these  words  signify  that  every 
representative  of  the  Lord  had  perished.  A  genuine  represent- 
ative of  the  Lord  is  described  by  "  the  Nazarites  were  whiter 
than  snow,  and  brighter  than  milk,"  which  signifies  a  represent- 
ative of  Divine  truth  and  Divine  good  in  its  perfection,  for 
"white"  is  predicated  of  truth,  in  like  manner  "snow;"  and 
"  brightness  "  of  the  good  of  truth,  in  like  manner  "  milk."  That 
every  representative  of  Divine  truth  had  perished  is  described 
by  "their  form  is  more  obscure  than  blackness,  they  are  not 
known  in  the  streets,"  "form"  signifying  the  quality  of  truth, 
"  blackness"  signifying  its  no  longer  appearing,  "  streets  "  signi- 
fying the  truths  of  do6trine,  and  "  not  to  be  known  in  them  " 


niAP.  VI.,  VERSE  5. — N.  372[(^].  735 

siirnitying  not  to  be  recog^nizcd  by  j^enuine  truths.  What  is  fur- 
ther signitied  by  "Nazarites"  will  be  told  elsewhere.  [6.]  In 
yeremiah  : 

"  The  whole  land  shall  be  a  desolation  ;  yet  will  I  not  make  a  consumma- 
tion. For  this  shall  the  land  mourn,  and  the  heavens  above  shall 
be  blackened  "  (iv.  27,  28). 

"  The  whole  land  shall  be  a  desolation"  signifies  that  good  and 
truth  in  the  church  shall  perish,  "land"  meaning  the  church; 
"  yet  will  I  not  make  a  consummation  "  signifies  that  something 
of  good  and  truth  will  still  remain.  "  For  this  shall  the  land 
mourn  "  signifies  the  consequent  feebleness  of  the  church  :  "  the 
heavens  above  shall  be  blackened"  signifies  that  there  will  be 
no  influx  of  good  and  truth  from  the  Lord  through  heaven  ;  for 
the  heavens  are  said  to  be  "blackened"  when  no  affe6tion  or 
perception  of  truth  flows  in  from  the  Lord  through  heaven. 
Since  in  the  churches  before  the  Lord's  coming,  which  were 
representative  churches,  mourning  represented  spiritual  gsief  of 
mind  on  account  of  the  absence  of  truth  and  good, — for  they 
mourned  when  oppressed  by  an  enemy,  on  the  death  of  a  father 
or  mother,  and  for  like  things,  and  oppression  by  an  enemy  sig- 
nified oppression  by  evils  from  hell,  and  father  and  mother  sig- 
nified the  church  in  respedl  to  good  and  in  respe6i  to  truth, 
— because  with  them  these  things  were  represented  by  mourn- 
ing, they  at  such  times  went  in  black.     [7.]    As  in  David  : 

"I  say  unto  God  my  rock.  Why  hast  thou  forgotten  me?  Why  shall  I 
go  in  black  because  of  the  oppression  of  the  enemy?"  {Psalm  xlii.  9  ; 
xliii.  2.) 

In  the  same, 

"  I  bowed  myself  in  black  as  bewailing  a  mother"  i Psalm  xxxv.  14). 

In  the  same, 

"  I  was  bent,  I  was  bowcii  down  greatly  ;  I  have  gone  in  black  all  the 
day  "  [Psalm  xxxviii.  6). 

In  Malarhi : 

"  Ye  have  said,. . .  .What  profit  is  it. . . .  that  we  walk  in  black  before  Je- 
hovah?" (iii.  14.) 

In  yeremiah : 

"  For  the  bruise  of  the  daughter  of  my  people  I  am  bruised  ;  I  am  made 
black"  (viii.  21), 

"daughter  of  the  people"  signifying  the  church.     In  yeremiah: 

"  Judah  hath  mourned,  and  her  gates  have  been  made  to  languish,  they 
are  made  black  even  to  the  earth  ;  and  the  cry  of  Jerusalem  hath 
gone  up;  for  their  nobles  sent  their  little  ones  for  water,  they 
came  to  the  pits  and  found  no  waters,  their  vessels  were  returned 
empty  "  (xiv.  2,  3). 


73^  AI'OCALYl'SIi    liXl'LAlMJ). 

That  "  to  be  made  black  "  signifies  spiritual  grief  of  mind  because 
of  the  absence  of  truth  in  the  church  is  evident  from  the  partic- 
ulars here  in  the  internal  sense  ;  for  "Judah  "  signifies  the  church 
in  respedl  to  affedion  for  good  ;  and  "Jerusalem  "  the  church  in 
respe6t  to  do6trine  of  truth;  "gates"  signify  admission  to  the 
church.  That  there  were  no  longer  any  truths  is  described  by 
"the  nobles  sent  their  little  ones  for  water,  they  came  to  the 
pits  and  found  no  waters,  their  vessels  were  returned  empty," 
"waters"  signifying  truths,  and  "pits"  the  things  that  contain, 
which  are  dod;rinals  from  the  Word  and  the  Word  itself,  and  in 
these  truths  are  no  longer  seen.  From  all  this  it  can  be  seen 
that  "  black  {nignnn)  "  and  "  black  {a/mm)''''  in  the  Word  signify  ab- 
sence of  truth  ;  and  "  darkness,"  "  clouds,"  "  obscurity,"  and  many 
things  from  which  blackness  arises  have  a  like  signification  ;  as 
in  yoe/  : 

"  A  day  of  darkness  and  of  thick  darkness,  a  day  of  cloud  and  of  obscur- 
ity "  (ii.  2) ; 

and  in  other  passages. 

373,    "And  he  that  sat  upon  him  had  a  balance  in  his  hand" 

signifies  ^/le  estimation  of  truth  from  the  Word  in  that  state 
of  the  chiirch. — This  is  evident  from  the  signification  of  "he  that 
sat  upon  the  horse,"  as  meaning  the  Word  (see  above,  n.  355[<;,r], 
356,  365[<z])  ;  also  from  the  signification  of  "a  balance  in  his 
hand,"  as  meaning  the  estimation  of  truth  from  the  Word  ;  for  all 
measures  and  weights  mentioned  in  the  Word,  signify  the  esti- 
mation of  the  thing  treated  of  in  respect  to  good  and  in  respe6l 
to  truth,  the  numbers  adjoined  determining  the  estimation  in  re- 
spetl  to  the  quality  and  quantity  thereof ;  as  here,  "a  measure 
of  wheat  for  a  penny,  and  three  measures  of  barley  for  a  penny  " 
(of  which  presently).  There  were  many  measures  in  the  repre- 
sentative church,  as  the  omer.the  homer,  the  ephah,  the  bath,  the 
hin  (about  which  see  A.C.,  n.  10262)  ;  and  besides  there  were  balances 
and  scales,  by  which  weighings  and  balancings  were  done,  and 
these  in  a  particular  sense  signified  estimations  of  anything  in 
respect  to  truth.  For  this  reason  the  weights  of  the  scales  were 
stones,  or  made  of  stone,  "  stones"  in  the  Word  signifying  truths. 

That  the  weights  were  stones,  or  made  of  stone,  appears  from  Lev.  xix. 
36 ;  Deut.  XXV.  13  ;  2  Sam.  xiv.  26  ;  Isa.  xxxiv.  11  ;  Zech.  iv.  10. 

(That  "  stones  "  in  the  Word  signify  truths,  see  A.C.,  n.  643,  3720,  6426,  8609,  10376.) 

Here,  therefore,  "a  balance  in  the  hand  of  him  that  sat  upon  the 
black  horse"  signifies  the  estimation  of  truth  from  the  Word. 
[2.]  It  has  been  shown  above  that  "  he  that  sat  upon  "  the  horses, 
— the  white,  the  red,  the  black,  and  the  {)ale  horse, — signifies 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE    5. — N.  373.  737 

the  Word,  and  the  "horses,"  according  to  their  colors,  sij>nify 
understanding  of  the  Word,  "the  red  horse"  understanding  of 
the  Word  destroyed  in  respe6l  to  good,  and  "the  black  horse" 
understanding  of  the  Word  destroyed  in  respedl  to  truth.  But  as 
it  is  difficult  to  comjirehend  that  "he  that  sat  upon"  the  horses 
signifies  the  Word,  in  consequence  of  the  red  and  the  black  horses 
signifying  understanding  of  the  Word  destroyed  in  respecl  to 
good,  and  in  respe<5l  to  truth,  it  shall  be  explained  how  it  is.  The 
Word  in  itself  is  Divine  truth  itself,  but  the  understanding  of  it  is 
according  to  the  state  of  the  man  who  reads  it.  A  man  who  is 
not  in  good  perceives  nothing  of  the  good  in  it,  and  a  man  who 
is  not  in  truths  sees  nothing  of  the  truth  in  it ;  the  cause  of  this, 
therefore,  is  not  in  the  Word,  but  in  him  who  reads  it.  This 
makes  clear  that  "  he  that  sat  upon  "  the  horses  signifies  the  Word, 
although  the  horses  themselves  signify  understanding  of  the  Word 
destroyed  in  respe6l  to  good  and  in  respeft  to  truth.  That  "  he 
that  sat  upon  the  white  horse"  signifies  the  Word  is  plainly  evi- 
dent in  the  Apocalypse ;  where  it  is  said, 

The  name  of  the  one  sitting  upon  that  horse  is  called  "  the  Word  of 
God  "  (xix.  13). 

[3.1  That  "a  balance"  or  "scales"  signify  estimation,  and  also 
right  arrangement,  which  is  effe6led  by  truths,  is  evident  in  Dan- 
iel: 

A  writing  appeared  upon  the  wall  before  Belshazzar  the  king  of  Baby- 
lon when  he  was  drinking  out  of  the  vessels  of  gold  and  silver 
belongiijg  to  the  temple  of  Jerusalem,  "  Mene,  Mene,  Tekel,  Pere- 
zin,"  that  is,  numbered,  numbered,  weighed,  divided.  "  This  is  the 
interpretation  of  these  words  :  Mene,  God  hath  numbered  thy 
kingdom  and  brought  it  to  an  end.  Tekel,  Thou  art  weighed  in 
the  balance  and  art  found  wanting.  Peres,  Thy  kingdom  is  divided 
and  given  to  the  Mede  and  Persian  "  (v.  25-28). 

This  history  describes  in  the  internal  sense  the  profanation  of 
good  and  truth,  which  is  signified  by  "Babylon,"  for  Belshazzar 
was  king  in  Babylon,  and  "  king"  in  the  Word  signifies  the  same 
as  the  nation  or  kingdom  itself  over  which  he  reigns.  The  profan- 
ation of  the  good  and  truth  of  the  church  is  signified  by  "his 
drinking  out  of  the  vessels  of  gold  and  sih-er  belonging  to  the 
temple  at  Jerusalem,  and  at  the  same  time  praising  the  gods  of 
gold,  silver,  brass,  iron,  wood,  and  stone"  (venses  3  and  4).  "The 
gold  and  silver  vessels  belonging  to  the  temple  at  Jerusalem  "  sig- 
nify the  good  and  truth  of  heaven  and  the  church,  "gold"  mean- 
ing good,  and  ".silver"  truth  ;  and  "praising  the  gods  of  gold, 
silver,  brass,  iron,  wood,  and  stone,"  signifies  idolatrous  worship  of 


73'^  APorAi.vrsF.  expi.aint.I) 

ev<.'r\-  kiiul,  tlius  external  worslii])  without  an\-  intcniai,  siicli  as  ex- 
ists w  ith  those  who  are  meant  by  Babylon.  That  there  is  no  church 
at  all  with  such,  because  there  is  nothing  of  the  good  and  nothing  of 
the  truth  of  the  church  in  them,  is  signified  by  the  writing  from 
heaven;  for  "numbered,  numbered,"  signifies  exploration  in  re- 
spe(5t  to  good  and  in  respeft  to  truth  ;  "weighed  in  the  balance'^ 
signifies  estimation  in  accordance  with  their  quality,  and  also  judg- , 
ment ;  "divided"  signifies  dispersion  and  expulsion  of  the  good 
and  truth  of  the  church  and  separation  therefrom  ;  and  "  kingdom  " 
signifies  the  church  ;  from  which  it  is  clear  that  "weighed  in  the 
scale  or  balance"  signifies  estimation   in   accordance  with  their 

quality.      (That  "  to  divide  "  signifies  to  disperse,  to  expel,  and  to  separate  from 

good  and  truth,  see  A.C.,  n.  4424, 6360,6361,  9093.)  "  Kingdom  "  means  the 
church,  because  the  Lord's  kingdom  is  where  the  church  is,  there- 
fore those  who  are  of  the  church  are  called  "sons  of  the  king- 
dom" (Afaff.  viii.  12;  xiii.  38).     [4.]    In  Isaiah: 

"Who  hath  measured  the  waters  in  the  hollow  of  his  hand,  and  meted 
out  the  heavens  with  a  span,  and  embraced  the  dust  of  the  earth 
in  a  measure  [of  three  fingers],  and  weighed  the  mountains  in  a 
balance,  and  the  hills  in  scales?"  (xl.  12.) 

These  measures  describe  the  right  arrangement  and  estimation 
of  all  things  in  heaven  and  in  the  church  according  to  the  quality 
of  good  and  truth.  The  measures  here  are,  the  hollow  of  the 
hand,  the  span  of  the  hand,  the  measure  [of  three  fingers],  the  bal- 
ance and  the  scales:  "waters"  signify  truths  ;  "the  heavens"  in- 
terior or  spiritual  truths  and  goods  ;  "the  dust  of  the  earth"  ex- 
terior or  natural  truths  and  goods,  both  of  heaven  and  of  the 
church  ;  "mountains"  goods  of  love  ;  "hills"  goods  of  charity  ; 
and  "  to  weigh  "  means  to  estimate  and  arrange  in  accordance  with 
their  quality.  That  such  is  the  signification  of  these  words,  no 
one  can  see  except  from  a  knowledge  of  correspondences.  [5.]  As 
a  right  estimation  and  exploration  of  good  and  truth  are  signified 
in  the  Word  by  "measures,"  it  was  commanded  that  the  measures 
should  be  just,  with  no  fraud  about  them,  in  Moses  : 

"Ye  shall  not  do  wrong  in  judgment,  in  measure,  in  weight,  or  in  di- 
mension. Just  balances,  just  stones,  a  just  ephah,  and  a  just  hin 
shall  ye  have  "  {Lev.  xix.  35,  36). 

So  justice,  where  it  means  the  estimation  and  exploration  of  men 
in  accordance  with  the  quality  of  good  and  truth  in  them,  is  every- 
where in  the  Word  expressed  by  scales  and  balances  of  various 
kinds,  and  by  "ephahs,"  "omers."  "homers,"  "seahs,"  "bins," 

(as  in  Job  vi.  2  ;  xxxi.  6) ; 


CHAP,  vr.,  VERSE  6. — N.  374[«].  739 

and  injustice  is  expressed  by  "scales  and  balances  of  fraud  and 
deceit " 

(as  in  Ilosea  xii.  7  ;  Amos  viii.  5  ;  Micah  vi.  11). 

374['*]*  [  ''■''*'■  '^1  " ^  measure  of  wheat  for  a  penny,  and 
ihree  measures  of  barley  for  a  penny,"  signifies  that  the  genuine 
good  of  the  church,  as  ivell  as  the  genuine  truth  of  the  church,  is 
<f  no  account  to  them. — This  is  evident  from  the  signification  of 
"  measure  {choenix) "  (which  was  the  Greek  measure  for  wheat  and 
barlev),  as  meaning  the  quality  of  estimation,  for  "measures"  in 
the  Word  (as  was  said  in  the  article  above),  signify  the  quality  of  a  thing 
in  respe6l  to  good  and  in  respe6l  to  truth.  It  is  evident  also  from 
the  signification  of  "wheat,"  as  meaning  the  good  of  the  church 
in  general  (of  which  presently) ;  also  from  the  signification  of  "barley," 
as  meaning  the  truth  of  that  good  (of  which  presently) ;  and  from  the 
signification  of  "a  penny,"  the  standard  of  estimation,  as  meaning 
as  of  no  account.  Because  this  was  the  smallest  coin,  it  signifies 
the  least  worth,  but  here  as  of  no  account.  The  reason  for  this  is 
that  "the  red  horse"  (mentioned  above),  signifies  understanding  of 
the  Word  destroyed  in  respedl  to  good,  and  "  the  black  horse  " 
understanding  of  the  Word  destroyed  in  respecl  to  truth  (see above, 
n.  364,  372)  ;  and  when  understanding  of  the  Word  in  respe<5l  to 
good  and  in  respe(5t  to  truth  has  been  destroyed,  the  genuine 
■good  and  the  genuine  truth  of  the  church  are  estimated  as  of 
no  account.  The  "penny"  is  here  taken  as  the  standard  of  esti- 
mation, because  some  piece  of  money  must  be  taken  that  some 
price  may  be  expressed  in  the  sense  of  the  letter,  since  it  is  said 
that  "a  balance  was  in  the  hand  of  him  that  sat  upon  the  horse," 
and  that  the  wheat  and  the  barley  were  measured  ;  consequentlv 
the  smallest  coin  of  all  was  taken  as  the  standard  of  estimation  ; 
and  as  there  was  no  longer  any  understanding  of  the  Word  in  re- 
spe6l  to  good  and  in  respe6l  to  truth,  a  "  penny  "  in  the  spiritual 
sense  here  signifies  as  of  no  account.  [2.]  It  is  said,  "a  measure 
of  wheat  and  three  measures  of  barley,"  because  "one"  is  predic- 
ated of  good,  and  "three"  of  truths  ;  and  "one,"  when  predicated 
of  good,  signifies  what  is  perted,  thus  also  what  is  genuine  ;  and 
"three,"  when  predicated  of  truths,  signifies  what  is  full,  thus  also 
what  is  genuine;  consequently  "a  measure  of  wheat  and  three 
measures  of  barley"  signify  the  genuine  good  and  the  genuine 
truth  of  the  church.  "Wheat"  signifies  good,  and  "barley"  its 
truth,  because  all  things  belonging  to  the  field  signify  the  things 
that  belong  to  the  church  ;  and  things  belonging  to  the  field,  as 
crops  of  various  kinds,  ser\'e  for  food  :  and  things  for  food  and  for 
the  nourishment  of  the  iK)dy  signify  in  the  spiritual  sense  such 


740  AlOCALYPSE    KXi'LAINED. 

things  as  nourish  the  soul  or  mind,  all  which  have  relation  to  good 
of  love  and  truth  of  faith  ;  thus  especially  wheat  and  barley,  be- 
cause bread  is  made  from  tliem.  (That  foods  of  every  kind  signify  spiritual 
food,  thus  things  of  knowledge,  intelhgence,  and  wisdom,  consequently  the  good  and 
truth  from  whicli  these  are,  see  A.C.,  n.  31 14.  4459,  5147.  5293,  5340,  5342.  5410, 
5426,  5576,  5582,  5588,  5655,  5915,  8408,  8562,  9003.  Of  "  bread  "  in  general,  see 
On  the  New  yerusatem,  n.  218  ;  that  "  field  "  signifies  the  church,  see  A.C.,  n.  2971, 
3766,  9139.) 

[fr.]  That  "wheat"  and  "barley"  have  such  a  signification  is 
from  correspondence,  as  is  evident  from  the  tilings  that  appear 
in  the  spiritual  world,  where  all  appearances  are  correspondences. 
There  plains,  fields,  crops  of  various  kinds,  and  also  loaves  appear ; 
from  this  is  the  knowledge  that  they  are  correspondences,  and  con- 
sequently that  they  have  significations  according  to  correspond- 
ences. [3.]  That  "wheat"  and  "barley"  signify  the  good  and 
truth  of  the  church,  "wheat"  its  good,  and  "barley"  its  truth,  can 
be  seen  also  from  the  passages  in  the  Word  where  they  are  men- 
tioned, as  from  the  following.     In  yeremiah  : 

Jehovah,  "who  hath  scattered  Israel,  will  gather  him,  and  will  guard  him 
as  a  shepherd  doth  his  flock ;  for  Jehovah  hath  redeemed  Jacob, 
and  hath  delivered  him  out  of  the  hand  of  him  that  was  stronger 
than  he.  Therefore  shall  they  come  and  sing  in  the  height  of  Zion, 
and  shall  flow  together  unto  the  good  of  Jehovah,  to  the  wheat,  to 
the  new  wine,  and  to  the  oil,  and  to  the  sons  of  the  flock  and  of 
the  herd  ;  and  their  soul  shall  become  as  a  watered  garden  "  (xxxi. 
10-12). 

This  treats  of  the  establishment  of  a  new  church ;  "  Israel "  and 
"  Jacob  "  signify  that  church,  "  Israel "  the  internal  spiritual  church, 
and  "Jacob"  the  external ;  for  every  church  is  internal  and  exter- 
nal. Its  establishment  is  described  by  "Jehovah  will  gather  him, 
and  will  guard  him  as  a  shepherd  doth  his  flock,  for  He  hath 
redeemed  Jacob,  and  hath  delivered  him  out  of  the  hand  of  him 
that  was  stronger  than  he;"  "to  redeem"  signifies  to  reform  (see 
above,  n.  328) ;  "  out  of  the  hand  of  him  that  was  stronger  than  he  " 
signifies  out  of  evil  and  falsity,  which  before  had  possession  ;  the 
internal  joy  or  joy  of  heart  arising  from  celestial  good  and  truths 
therefrom  that  such  have,  is  signified  by  "therefore  shall  they 
come  and  sing  in  the  height  of  Zion,  and  shall  flow  together  unto 
the  good  of  Jehovah,  to  the  wheat,  to  the  new  wine,  and  to  the 
oil,  and  to  the  sons  of  the  flock  and  of  the  herd,"  "  to  sing  in  the 
height  of  Zion  "  signifying  internal  celestial  joy,  that  is,  such  as 
exists  in  the  Lord's  celestial  kingdom,  "to  sing"  meaning  that  joy 
(see  nbove,  n.  326),  "  height "  what  is  internal,  and  "  Zion  "  the  celestial 
kingdom;  "wheat"  signifies  the  good  of  the  natural  man,  "  new 
wine"  its  truth  ;  "oil"  the  good  of  the  spiritual  man,  "sons  oi  tlie 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE   9. — N.  374[^].  74I 

flock"  Spiritual  truths,  and  "sons  of  the  herd"  natural  truths; 
because  these  are  what  are  signified  they  are  called  "the  good  of 
Jehovah."  That  such  have  intelligence  and  wisdom  from  this 
source  is  signified  by  "  their  soul  shall  become  as  a  watered  garden," 
for  "garden"  in  the  Word  signifies  intelligence,  and  "watered" 
continual  increase.  Wheat,  new  wine,  oil,  the  sons  of  a  flock  and 
herd,  are  plainly  not  here  meant,  for  it  is  said,  "Jehovah  hath  re- 
deemed Jacob,  and  their  soul  shall  become  as  a  watered  gar- 
den."    [4.]    In  Joel: 

"  The  field  was  laid  waste,  the  land  mourned  ;  for  the  corn  was  laid 
waste,  the  new  wine  was  dried  up,  the  oil  languisheth.  The  hus- 
bandmen were  ashamed,  the  vine-dressers  howled  for  the  wheat 
and  for  the  barley,  because  the  harvest  of  the  field  hath  perished  " 
(i.  10,  II). 

This  is  not  said  of  a  field  and  its  barrenness,  but  of  the  church 
and  its  vastation  ;  therefore  "field,"  "land,"  "corn,"  "new  wine," 
and  "oil  "  do  not  mean  these  things  themselves,  but  "field"  and 
"land"  mean  the  church,  "field"  the  church  in  relation  to  the 
reception  and  procreation  of  truth  and  good,  and  "land"  the 
church  in  respe6l  to  the  nation  that  is  in  it ;  "corn"  means  good 
of  ev^ery  kind  in  the  external  man;  "new  wine"  the  truth  also 
therein;  "oil"  the  good  of  the  internal  man;  "the  husbandmen 
that  were  ashamed,"  and  "  the  vine-dressers  that  howled  for  the 
wheat  and  for  the  barley,"  signify  those  who  are  of  the  church, 
"wheat"  and  "barley"  signifying  the  good  and  truth  of  the 
church  ;  and  "  the  harvest  of  the  field  "  that  thus  perished  signi- 
fying all  worship  from  good  and  truth.     [5.]    In  Jeremiah  : 

"Upon  all  the  heights  in  the  desert  the  spoilers  have  come  ;  because  the 
sword  of  Jehovah  devoureth  from  the  end  of  the  land  even  to  the 
end  of  the  land  ;  no  flesh  hath  peace.  They  have  sown  wheat  and 
have  reaped  thorns"  (xii.  12,  13). 

This,  too,  is  said  of  the  church  and  its  vastation  ;  "heights  in  the 
desert  upon  which  the  spoilers  have  come"  signify  that  every 
good  of  charitv  has  perished  through  evils  and  falsities,  "heights" 
in  the  Word  signifying  where  there  is  good  of  charity,  and  in  an 
abstra(?l;  sense  that  good  itself,  "desert"  signifies  where  there  is 
no  good  because  no  truth,  and  "spoilers"  signify  evils  and  falsities 
through  which  good  and  truth  perish.  "The  sword  of  Jehovah 
devom-eth  from  the  end  of  the  land  even  to  the  end  of  the  land  " 
signifies  falsity  destroving  all  things  of  the  church,  "sword  devour- 
ing" meaning  falsity  destroying,  and  "from  the  end  of  the  land 
even  to  the  end  of  the  land"  signifying  all  things  of  the  church. 
"No  flesh  hath  peace"  signifies  that  there  is  no  longer  internal 
rest,  because  of   the  dominion  of  evil  and  falsity;    "they  have 


742  AI'OCAIA'PSK    KXPl.AINKI). 

sown  wheat  and  ha\c  reaped  thorns"  signifies  that  instead  of  the 
goods  of  truth  there  are  evils  of  falsity,  "wheat"  meaning  goods 
of  truth,  and  "thorns"  evils  of  falsity.     [6.]    In  the  same, 

Ishmael,  who  was  of  the  seed  royal,  slew  Gedaliah,  whom  the  king  of 
Babylon  had  made  governor  over  the  land,  and  all  the  Jews  who 
were  with  him,  and  the  Chaldeans,  also  the  men  from  Shechem, 
from  Shiloh,  and  from  Samaria  ;  "  but  ten  men  were  found  among 
them  who  said  unto  Ishmael,  Slay  us  not,  for  we  have  things  hid 
in  the  field,  wheat  and  barley,  and  oil  and  honey.  So  he  forbare, 
and  slew  them  not"  (xli.  i-8). 

These  historical  statements  describe,  in  the  internal  sense,  the 
damnation  of  those  who  profane  holy  things  ;  "  Gedaliah,  whom 
the  king  of  Babylon  made  governor  over  the  land,"  and  "the 
Jews  who  were  with  him,"  and  "the  Chaldeans,"  and  "the  men 
from  Shechem,  from  Shiloh,  and  from  Samaria,"  mean  those 
who  profane,  and  in  the  abstract  sense,  profanations  of  all  kinds, 
"  the  king  of  Babvlon  "  signifying  the  profanation  of  good  and 
truth.  The  damnation  of  these  is  signified  by  their  being  slain, 
for  "to  be  slain"  signifies  to  be  slain  spii"itually  (seen.  315)  ;  but 
"the  ten  men  who  said  to  Ishmael,  Slay  us  not,  for  we  have 
things  hid  in  the  field,  wheat  and  barley,  and  oil  and  honey,"  mean 
those  who  have  not  profaned  the  holy  things  of  the  church,  be- 
cause inwardly  they  have  good  and  truth  ;  for  those  who  profane 
have  nothing  of  good  and  truth  inwardly,  but  only  outwardly 
when  they  speak  or  preach,  while  those  who  do  not  profane  have 
good  and  truth  inwardly  ;  this  is  meant  by  their  saying  that  "they 
have  things  hid  in  the  field,  wheat,  barley,  oil,  and  honey," 
"wheat  and  barley"  signifying  the  goods  and  truths  of  the  exter- 
nal man,  "oil"  the  good  of  the  internal  man,  and  "honey"  the 
delight  thereof;  "ten  men"  signify  all  of  this  character,  "ten" 
signifying  all  persons  and  all  things  ;  that  "  he  forbare  and  slew 
them  not"  signifies  that  they  were  not  profane,  thus  not  damned  ; 
"Ishmael"  represents  those  who  are  in  the  genuine  truths  of 
the  church,  which  is  also  signified  by  "the  seed  royal,"  of  which 
he  was.  Such  are  the  things  involved  in  this  history,  the  histo- 
ries in  the  Word  equally  with  the  prophecies  having  an  inter- 
nal sense. 

[c]    [7.]   In  Moses  : 

"Jehovah  thy  God  bringeth  thee  into  a  good  land,  a  land  of  brooks  of 
water,  of  fountains  and  depths  springing  out  of  valley  and  mount- 
ain :  a  land  of  wheat  and  barley,  and  of  vine,  and  fig  tree,  and 
pomegranate  ;  a  land  of  oil  olive  and  honey  "  {Detd.  viii.  7,  8). 

In  the  sense  of  the  letter  this  is  a  description  of  the  land  of  Canaan, 


ciiAi'.  VI.,  vi:rsi-:  6.-    x.  ,i74LrJ.  743 

but  in  the  spiritual  sense  tlie  I.dnl'^  cluiich  is  (U-srnbed,  .-.iiuc  this 
is  meant  in  that  sense  by  "the  land  ot  Canaan;"  and  all  kinds 
of  good  and  truth  pertaining^  to  the  church  are  enumerated.  The 
land  is  called  "a  land  of  brooks  of  water,"  because  "brooks  of 
water"  signify  doctrinals  of  truth  ;  "fountains  and  depths  spring- 
ing out  of  valley  and  mountain "  signify  interior  and  exterior 
truths  from  the  Word,  "fountains"  interior  truths  therefrom,  and 
"depths"  exterior  truths.  The  latter  are  said  to  spring  "out  of 
the  valley,"  because  "a  valley  '  signifies  what  is  lower  and  exte- 
rior, where  such  truths  are;  and  the  former  are  said  "to  spring 
•t)Ut  of  the  mountain,"  because  a  "mountain"  signifies  what  is 
higher  and  interior,  where  truths  of  that  kind  are.  "A  land  of 
wheat  and  barley,  and  of  vine  and  fig  tree,  and  pomegranate,"  sig- 
nifies the  church  in  respect  to  good  and  truth  of  every  kind, 
■"wheat  and  barley"  signifying  good  and  truth  from  a  celestial 
origin,  "vine  and  fig  tree"  good  and  truth  from  a  spiritual  origin, 
and  "pomegranate"  knowledges  of  good  and  truth  ;  and  "a  land 
of  oil  olive  and  honey"  signifies  the  church  in  respe(5f  to  the  good 
of  love  and  its  enjoyment.  One  who  is  unacquainted  with  the  spir- 
itual sense  of  the  Word  has  no  other  idea  than  that  this  describes 
simply  the  land  of  Canaan  ;  but  in  that  case  the  Word  would 
be  merely  natural,  and  not  spiritual,  and  yet  the  Word  everyv\here 
is  in  its  bosom  spiritual,  and  it  is  spiritual  when  by  these  words  are 
understood  the  spiritual  things  they  signify,  namely,  goods  and 

truths  of  every  kind.  (But  what  "rivers,"  "fountains,"  "  depths,"  "valley." 
"  mountain,"  "  vine,"  "  fig  tree,"  "  pomegranate,"  "  olive,"  "  oil  "  and  "  honey  "  sig- 
nify, is  shown  in  the  Arcana  Caelestia,  all  of  which  would  be  too  extended  to  cite 
■here  ;  hut  many  of  these  things  have  been  and  will  be  referred  to  in  this  exphination 
of  the  .-^/(Jtrt/i'/j^",  and  these  may  be  consulted  in  their  places.)       [8.]     In    ^ob  : 

"  If  I  have  eaten  the  strength  (of  the  earth)  without  silver,  or  have  made 
the  soul  of  its  [lords]  to  exhale,  let  the  thorn  come  forth  instead 
of  wheat,  and  the  wild  vine  instead  of  barley  "  (xxxi.  39,  40). 

■"To  eat  the  strength  of  the  earth  without  siher"  signifies  to  ap- 
propriate to  oneself  the  good  of  the  church  without  the  truth, 
^' earth"  meaning  the  church,  and  "silver"  truth  ;  and  "to  make 
the  soul  of  its  [lords]  to  exhale"  signifies  thus  to  empty  out  spir- 
itual life.  "  Let  the  thorn  come  forth  instead  of  wheat,  and  the 
wild  vine  instead  of  barley,"  signifies  that  evil  is  held  for  good,  and 
ialsity  for  truth,  "wheat"  meaning  good,  "thorn"  evil,  "barley" 
truth,  and  "wild  vine"  falsity  ;  for  good  can  be  Acquired  only  by 
means  of  truths.     |9.]    \\\  Isaiah  : 

"  I  have  heard  a  consummation  and  decision  from  the  Lord  Jehovih  of 

hosts  upon  the  whole  earth Will  the  ploughman  plough  all 

day  for  sowing  ?  will  he  open  and  harrow  his  ground  ?  When  he  hath 


744  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

made  plain  the  faces  thereof  doth  he  not  scatter  the  fennel  ?  . .  . . 
and  doth  he  not  put  in  the  measured  wheat  and  the  appointed  bar- 
ley and  the  appointed  spelt?  Thus  doth  He  instru(5l  him  for  judg- 
ment,  his  God  doth  teach  him  "  (xxviii.  22,  24-26). 

This,  in  the  spiritual  sense  describes  the  total  destru<5lion  of  the 
church  with  the  Jewish  and  Israelitish  nation,  and  teaches  that  it 
fe  of  no  avail  to  learn  and  know  the  Word  except  for  the  purpose 
of  applying  its  good  and  truth  to  the  use  of  life  ;  from  this  source 
and  no  other  is  intelligence  from  the  Lord.  That  the  church  with 
that  nation  was  wholly  destroyed  is  meant  by  "I  have  heard  a 
consummation  and  decision  from  the  Lord  Jehovih  of  hosts  upon 
the  whole  earth,"  "consummation  and  decision"  meaning  complete 
destruction,  and  "the  whole  earth"  the  whole  church,  that  is,  every 
thing  of  it ;  that  it  is  of  no  avail  to  learn  and  know  the  Word  is 
signified  by  "will  the  ploughman  plough  all  day  for  sowing?  will  he 
open  and  harrow  his  ground?"  "to  plough  for  sowing"  meaning 
to  learn,  and  "to  harrow  the  ground"  meaning  to  deposit  in  the 
memory.  That  the  good  and  truth  ol  the  Word  should  be  ap- 
plied to  the  use  of  life,  is  signified  by  "when  he  hath  made  plain 
the  faces  thereof,  doth  he  not  scatter  the  fennel,  and  put  in  the 
measured  wheat  and  the  appointed  barley  and  the  appointed 
spelt?"  "When  he  hath  made  plain  the  faces  of  the  ground  he 
scattereth  the  fennel"  signifies  when  there  is  preparation  by  the 
Word;  "the  measured  wheat  and  the  appointed  barley  and  the 
appointed  spelt"  signify  the  application  of  good  and  truth  to  the 
use  of  life,  "wheat"  meaning  good,  "barley"  truth,  and  "spelt" 
knowledges  ;  and  that  from  this  source  and  no  other  is  intelligence 
from  the  Lord  signified  by  "thus  doth  He  instru6i  for  judgment, 
his  God  doth  teach  him,"  "judgment"  signifying  intelligence,  and 
"his  God  doth  teach  him"  signifying  that  it  is  from  the  Lord. 
[10.]    In  Moses: 

Jehovah  "  made  him  ride  upon  the  high  places  of  the  earth,  and  fed  him 
with  the  increase  of  the  fields  ;  He  made  him  to  suck  honey  out  of 
the  cliff,  and  oil  out  of  the  flinty  rock  ;  butter  of  the  herd  and  milk 
of  the  flock,  with  the  fat  of  lambs,  and  of  rams  of  the  sons  of  Ba- 
shan,  and  of  goats,  with  the  fat  of  kidneys  of  wheat ;  and  thou 
drinkest  the  blood  of  grapes,  pure  wine  "  {Deut.  xxxii.  13,  14). 

This  is  said  of  the  Ancient  church  established  by  the  Lord  after 
the  flood,  which  was  in  intelligence  and  wisdom,  because  it  was 
in  good  of  charity  and  in  faith  therefrom.  This  wisdom  and  in- 
telligence from  the  Lord  is  signified  by  "Jehovah  made  him  to 
ride  upon  the  high  places  of  the  earth,  and  fed  him  with  the  in- 
crease of  the  fields  ;"  the  celestial  and  spiritual  goods  that  are  re- 
ceived through  truths  are  described  by  "He  made  him  to  suck 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE  6. — N.  374[^].  745 

honey  out  of  the  cliff,  and  oil  out  of  the  flinty  rock  ;  butter  of  the 
herd  and  milk  of  the  flock,  with  the  fat  of  lambs,  and  of  rams  of 
the  sons  of  Bashan,  and  of  goats,  with  the  fat  of  kidneys  of  wheat ; 
and  thou  drinkest  the  blood  of  grajies,  pure  wine,"  "wheat"  sig- 
nifying here  in  a  general  sense  all  good,  and  "  blood  of  grapes  "  and 
"pure  wine"  all  truth  therefrom.     [II.]    In  David  : 

"O  that  my  people  would  hearken  unto  Me,  and  Israel  would  walk  in 
My  ways  !....!  would  feed  them  with  the  fat  of  wheat ;  and  with 
honey  out  of  the  rock  I  would  satisfy  them  "  {Psalm  Ixxxi.  13,16). 

"  Fat  of  wheat,"  and  "honey  out  of  the  rock,"  with  which  they 
would  be  fed  and  satisfied,  signify  good  of  every  kind  from  celes- 
tial good  and  enjoyment  thereof  from  the  Lord ;  for  "  fat "  signi- 
fies celestial  good,  "wheat"  good  of  every  kind,  "honey"  enjoy- 
ment of  good,  and  "rock"  the  Lord.  That  those  who  live 
according  to  the  Lord's  commandments  will  possess  these  things, 
is  meant  by  "O  that  My  people  would  hearken  unto  Me,  and  Is- 
rael would  walk  in  My  ways  !"  "ways"  in  the  Word  signifying 
truths  and  also  commandments,  and  "to  walk"  signifying  to  live. 
[12.]    In  the  same, 

"  Praise  Jehovah,  O  Jerusalem  ;  praise  thy  God,  O  Zion.  For  He  strength- 
eneth  the  bars  of  thy  gates,  He  blesseth  thy  sons  in  the  midst  of 
thee.  He  uiaketh  thy  border  peace,  and  filleth  thee  with  the  fat  of 
wheat"  {Psalm  cxlvii.  12-14). 

"Jemsalem"  and  "Zion"  mean  the  church;  "Jerusalem"  the 
church  in  respe6l  to  truths  of  do6lrine,  and  "  Zion  "  the  church  in 
respe6l  to  goods  of  love ;  "  He  maketh  thy  border  peace"  signi- 
fies all  things  of  heaven  and  the  church,  for  "border"  signifies  all 
these  things  ;  "  He  filleth  thee  with  the  fat  of  wheat "  signifies  with 
every  good  of  love  and  with  wisdom,  "fat"  signifying  good  of 
love,  and  "  wheat  "  all  things  from  it,  which  are  goods  because 
they  are  from  good  ;  these  things  being  signified  it  is  said.  "  fat  of 
wheat." 

[«!.]    [13.]   In  Hosea: 

Jehovah  said  to  the  prophet,  "  Go  yet,  love  a  woman  beloved  of  her 
companion,  and  an  adulteress,  even  as  the  love  of  Jehovah  to  the 
sons  of  Israel,  who  locjk  to  other  gods,  and  love  flagons  of  grapes. 
And  I  bought  her  to  me  for  fifteen  pieces  of  silver,  and  for  a  ho- 
mer of  barley,  and  a  half  homer  of  barley  "  (iii.  i,  2). 

This  represented  what  the  Jewish  and  Israelitish  church  was  in  re- 
spe<5l  to  dodrine  and  worship,  namely,  that  by  vain  traditions  it 
had  falsified  all  things  of  the  Word,  though  worshipping  it  as  holy ; 
"a  woman  beloved  of  her  companion,  and  an  adulteress,"  whom 


^^6  APOCAi.vi'SK  i:xplaini:d. 

the  prophet  shoukl  loxc,  siLiiiilRs  such  a  church,  "a  woman"  sij^- 
nifying  the  church,  and  "beloxed  ot  her  companion,  and  an  adul- 
teress," falsification  of  truth  and  adulteration  of  good  ;  "even  as 
the  love  of  Jehovah  to  the  sons  of  Israel,  who  look  to  other  gods," 
signifies  falsities  of  doctrine  and  evils  of  worship  ;  these  are  signi- 
fied by  "looking  to  other  gods  ;"  "loving  flagons  of  grapes" 
signifies  the  Word  in  the  sense  of  the  letter  alone,  for  "  wine"  sig- 
nifies truths  of  do6trine  from  the  Word,"  "grapes"  its  goods  from 
which  are  truths,  and  "a  flagon"  signifies  that  which  contains,  thus 
the  outmost  sense  of  the  Word,  which  is  the  sense  of  the  letter, 
and  which  they  apply  to  their  falsities  and  evils.  "  He  bought 
her  to  him  for  fifteen  pieces  of  silver  "  signifies  for  a  \'ery  small 
price,  "  fifteen  "  meaning  very  little  ;  "  homer  of  barley  "  and  "  half 
homer  of  barley"  signify  so  little  of  good  and  truth  as  to  be 
scarcely  any.     [14.]    \x\  Matthe7v : 

John  said  of  Jesus,  "  He  shall  baptize  you  with  the  Holy  Spirit  and  with 
fire  ;  whose  fan  is  in  His  hand,  and  He  will  throughly  purge  His 
floor,  and  will  gather  the  wheat  into  the  garner  ;  but  the  chaff  He 
will  burn  with  unquenchable  fire"  (iii.  ii,  12). 

"To  baptize  with  the  Holy  Spirit  and  with  fire"  signifies  to  reform 
the  church  and  to  regenerate  the  man  of  the  church  by  means  of 
Divine  truth  and  Divine  good,  "to  baptize"  signifying  to  reform 
and  to  regenerate,  "the  Holy  Spirit"  Divine  truth  going  forth 
from  the  Lord,  and  "fire"  the  Divine  good  of  His  Divine  love. 
"The  wheat  that  He  will  gather  into  the  garner"  signifies  good 
of  every  kind  that  is  of  heavenly  origin,  which  He  is  to  preserve 
to  eternity,  thus  those  who  are  in  good  ;  and  "the  chaff"  that  He 
will  burn  with  unquenchable  fire"  signifies  falsity  of  every  kind 
that  is  of  hellish  origin,  which  He  is  to  destroy,  thus  those  who 
are  in  falsity;  and  because  "wheat,"  "garner,"  and  "chaff""  are 
mentioned,  "fan"  and  "floor"  are  also  mentioned,  "fan"  signify- 
ing separation,  and  "  floor"  signifying  where  separation  is  eff"e6ted. 
116.]    In  the  same, 

Jesus  said,  "The  kingdom  of  the  heavens  is  like  unto  a  man  that  sowed 
good  seed  in  his  field  ;  but  while  men  slept,  his  enemy  came  and 
sowed  tares,  and  went  his  way.  But  when  the  blade  sprang  up,  and 
brought  forth  fruit,  then  appeared  the  tares  also.  And  the  servants 
of  the  householder  coming  said  unto  him.  Master,  didst  thou  not 
sow  good  seed  in  thy  field?  whence  then  hath  it  tares?  Then  he 
said  unto  them.  An  enemy  hath  done  this.  And  the  servants 
said,  Wilt  thou  then  that  we  going  gather  them  up?  But  he  said. 
Nay ;  lest  haply  while  ye  gather  up  the  tares,  ye  root  up  at  the 
same  time  the  wheat  with  them.  Let  both  grow  together  until  the 
harvest ;  and  in  the  time  of  harvest  I  will  say  to  the  reapers, 
Gather  ye  first  the  tares  and  bind  them  in  bundles  to  burn  them, 
but  gather  the  wheat  into  my  barn  "  (xiii.  24-30). 


CHAP.   VI.,   VERSE   6. — N.   375[«].  747 

What  these  words  involve  is  very  clear  troni  the  spiritual  sense, 
for  the  particulars  here  are  correspondences.  For  when  tlie  Lord 
was  in  the  world,  He  spoke  by  pure  correspondences,  because  He 
spoke  from  the  Divine.  Here  the  last  judgment  is  treated  ot 
when  there  must  be  a  separation  of  the  good  from  the  evil,  and 
the  good  are  to  come  into  heaven,  and  the  evil  inlcj  hell.  "The 
good  seed  in  the  field  that  the  man  sowed"  signifies  the  truths 
of  the  church  that  are  from  good,  "field"  signifying  the  church 
where  these  are,  and  "sowing"  signifying  influx  and  reception, 
thus  also  instruction,  "the  man  who  sowed"  means  the  Lord 
through  the  Word,  in  which  are  all  the  truths  of  the  church  ; 
"while  men  slept  his  enemy  came  and  sowed  tares,  and  went  his 
way,"  signifies  that  with  natural  men  falsities  of  evil  flow  in  from 
hell,  and  are  received;  for  "to  sleep"  signifies  to  live  a  natural 
life  separate  from  a  spiritual  life  (see  above,  n.  i87[.7]),  and  "enemy  " 
signifies  hell,  and  "tares"  signify  evils  of  falsity.  What  the  re- 
mainder to  the  end  signifies,  can  be  seen  from  what  is  ]:)resei!ted 
in  the  Last  judgment  (n.  70) ;  for  it  involves  arcana  that  are  there 
explained  ;  here  it  need  be  said  only  that  "wheat"  signifies  the 
good  of  truth,  and  therefore  those  who  are  in  good  through 
truths  ;  and  that  "  tares  "  signify  the  evil  of  falsity,  and  therefore 
those  who  are  in  evil  through  falsities.  That  these  things  are  said 
of  the  last  judgment  is  evident  from  what  follows  in  the  same  chap- 
ter, where  it  is  .said, 

•'  He  that  soweth  the  good  seed  is  the  Son  of  man  ;  the  field  is  the 
world  ;  the  seed . . .  are  the  sons  of  the  kingdom  ;  the  tares  are  the 
sons  of  the  evil  one  ;  the  enemy  ...  is  the  devil  ;  the  harvest  is  the 
consummation  of  the  age  "  (verses  37-39). 

"The  consummation  of  the  age  "  means  the  last  time  of  the  church 
when  judgment  takes  place.  From  these  passages  quoted  from 
the  Word  it  can  be  seen  that  "  wheat"  signifies  the  good  of  the 
church  in  general,  and  "barley"  its  truth. 

375[w].  "And  the  oil  and  the  wine  hurt  thou  not"  signifies 
that  if  is  provided  that  the  internal  or  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word 
should  suffer  ?io  harm  either  in  respeft  to  good  or  in  respect  to 
truth. — This  is  evident  from  the  signification  of  "  oil,"  as  meaning 
the  good  of  love  1  of  which  presently)  ;  from  the  signification  of"  wine," 
as  meaning  the  truth  of  that  good,  for  every  good  has  its  truth, 
that  is,  every  truth  is  of  good,  therefore  such  as  the  good  is  such 
is  the  truth  ;  also  from  the  signification  of  "to  hurt,"  as  meaning 
to  do  injury  to  these.  That  the  internal  or  spiritual  sense  of  the 
Word  in  resj^etl  to  good  and  in  resped  to  truth  is  what  is  here 
signified  in  particular  by  "oil  and  wine"  is  evident  from  this,  that 


748  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED, 

"wheat  and  barley"  sii^nify  yood  and  truth,  the  same  as  •'oil  and 
wine,"  but  "wheat  and  barley"  sig-nify  the  gtiofi  ami  truth  d*" 
the  eliurch  in  general,  thus  |>;(iod  and  truth  in  tlic  sense  ol  the  let- 
ter of  the  Word  ;  tor  the  goods  and  truths  that  are  in  that  sense 
of  the  Word  are  goods  and  truths  in  general,  the  sense  of  the  let- 
ter enclosing  the  spiritual  sense,  and  thus  spiritual  goods  and 
truths  ;  therefore  "wheat  and  barley"  signify  the  goods  and  truths 
of  the  church  in  general,  which  are  of  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the 
Word  ;  while  "oil  and  wine"  signil'y  the  goods  and  truths  of  the 
internal  or  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word.  The  latter  are  interior 
goods  and  truths,  but  the  former  exterior.  [2.]  That  there  are 
interior  and  exterior  goods  and  truths,  the  former  in  the  spiritual 
or  internal  man,  the  latter  in  the  natural  or  external,  can  be  seen 
from  what  is  said  and  shown  in  Heaven  and  Hell,  namely,  that 
there  are  three  heavens,  and  that  the  inmost  or  third  heaven  is  in 
inmost  goods  and  truths,  that  is,  in  those  of  the  third  degree  ;  the 
middle  or  second  heaven  in  lower  goods  and  truths,  that  is,  in  those 
of  the  second  degree  ;  and  the  outmo.st  or  first  heaven  is  in  out- 
most goods  and  truths,  tliat  is,  in  those  of  the  first  degree.  Out- 
most goods  and  truths  or  those  o  the  first  degree  are  such  as  are 
contained  in  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word  ;  consequent!}"  those 
who  remain  in  that  sense  and  from  it  frame  doctrine  for  them- 
sehes  and  live  according  to  such  doctrine,  are  in  outmost  goods 
and  truths.  These  do  not  see  interior  things,  because  they  are  not, 
like  the  angels  of  the  higher  heavens,  purely  spiritual,  but  spiritual- 
natural  ;  yet  they  are  in  heaven,  although  in  the  outmost  heaven, 
since  the  goods  and  truths  that  the}-  have  deduced  from  the  sense 
of  the  letter  of  the  Word,  and  that  they  possess,  contain  in  them 
interior  goods  and  truths  belonging  to  the  spiritual  sense  of  the 
Word,  for  the  two  correspond  and  by  correspondence  make  a 
one.  [3]  For  example:  He  that  believes  from  the  sense  of  the 
letter  of  the  Word  that  God  is  angr^^that  He  condemns  and  casts 
into  hell  those  who  live  wickedly,  although  this  is  in  itself  not 
true,  since  God  is  never  angry,  and  never  condemns  man  or  casts 
him  into  hell,  yet  with  those  who  live  well  and  who  so  believe  be- 
cause the  Word  in  the  letter  says  so,  this  is  accepted  by  the  Lord 
as  truth,  because  the  truth  lies  concealed  within  it,  and  although 
they  themselves  do  not  see  it,  it  is  manifest  to  the  interior  angels. 
Take  as  another  example,  one  who  belie\'es  that  he  will  enjoy  a 
long  life  if  he  loves  father  and  mother,  according  to  the  com- 
mandment of  the  decalogue,  if  he  loves  them  for  this  reason,  and 
lives  well,  he  is  accepted  just  the  same  as  if  he  had  believed  the 
truth  itself,  for  he  does  not  know  that  "father  and  mother"  mean, 


CHAP,  vr.,  VKRSE  6. — N.  375[<:]  749 

in  the  highest  sense  the  Lord  and  His  kingdom,  "father"  the 
Lord,  and  "mother"  His  kingdom,  and  that  "prolongation  of 
days"  or  "length  of  life"  signifies  happiness  to  eternity.  It  is  the 
same  in  a  thousand  other  instances.  This  has  been  said  that  it 
may  be  known  what  is  meant  by  the  exterior  and  the  interior 
goods  and  truths  of  the  Word,  since  "wheat  and  barley"  signify 
exterior  goods  and  truths,  that  is,  those  that  are  of  the  sense  of 
the  letter  of  the  Word  ;  while  "  oil  and  wine  "  signify  interior  goods 
and  truths,  that  is,  those  that  are  of  the  spiritual  sense  of  the 
Word. 

[6.]  [4.]  "Wheat  and  barley"  signify  exterior  goods  and 
truths,  or  the  goods  and  truths  of  the  .sense  of  the  letter  of  the 
Word,  because  die}-  are  the  harvest  of  the  field,  and  do  not  serve 
for  food  until  made  into  bread,  and  "  bread  "  in  the  Word  signifies 
interior  goods;  consequently  "wheat  and  barley"  signify  such 
things  as  these  goods  are  made  out  of,  that  is,  the  goods  and  truths 
of  the  .sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word.  But  that  "  oil  and  wine  " 
signify  interior  goods,  which  are  the  goods  of  the  internal  or  spir- 
itual sense  of  the  Word,  can  be  seen  from  their  signification  in  the 
Word,  as  will  be  evident  from  what  follows.  It  is  said  that  these 
"  must  not  be  hurt,"  because  they  are  not  to  be  profaned  ;  for  they 
would  be  profaned  if  they  were  known  and  were  believed  and 
were  afterwards  denied,  also  if  the  life  were  contrary  to  them ; 
and  to  profane  interior  goods  and  truths  is  to  conjoin  oneself  with 
heaven  and  with  hell  at  the  same  time,  which  is  a  total  destru(!i:ion 
of  spiritual  life.  For  not  only  do  such  goods  and  truths  as  are 
believed  continue  to  exist,  but  also  the  e\'ils  and  falsities  that  suc- 
ceed in  their  place  by  denial  or  by  a  life  contrary  to  them  ;  thus 
there  is  a  conjunction  of  the  good  and  truth  that  are  of  heaven 
with  the  evils  and  falsities  that  are  of  hell,  and  the  two  cannot  be 
separated,  but  must  be  torn  asunder,  and  when  torn  asunder  every- 
thing of  spiritual  life  is  destroyed.  In  consequence  of  this,  pro- 
faners,  after  death,  are  not  spirits  in  a  human  form  as  others  are, 
but  they  are  mere  phantoms,  and  seem  to  themselves  to  fly  hither 
and  thither  without  any  thought ;  and  at  length  they  are  separated 
from  others  and  cast  down  into  the  lowest  hell  of  all ;  and  as  they 
do  not  appear  in  a  human  form  like  other  spirits,  they  are  no 
longer  called  he  or  she,  but  it,  that  is,  not  man.     (But  more  may  be  seen 

on  the  profanation  of  good  and  truth  in  The  Doftrine  of  the  Ne-iv  yerusalem,  n. 
i6q,  172.) 

[r.]  [5.]  Because  such  a  lot  awaits  those  who  profane  the  in- 
terior goods  and  truths  of  heaven  and  the  church,  the  internal  or 
spiritual  sense  of  the  Word,  in  which  these  are  contained,  was  not 


750  AP()CAI.\I'S1.    l.\IM..\INi:i). 

opened  to  the  Jews,  since  if  it  had  been  opened  they  would  ha\e 
profoned  it ;  neither  was  it  oi)ened  to  Christians,  since  they  also 
it  it  had  been  opened  would  have  profaned  it ;  and  for  this  reason 
it  has  been  hidden  from  both  Jews  and  Christians  that  there  is  any 
internal  or  spiritual  sense  within  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the 
Word,  which  is  the  natural  sense  ;  and  that  they  might  remain 
ignorant  of  it,  it  was  provided  that  the  knowledge  of  correspond- 
ences, which  was  the  chief  knowledge  of  the  ancients,  should  be 
lost  so  entirely  that  it  should  be  unknown  what  correspondence 
is,  and  therefore  what  the  sj)iritual  sense  of  the  Word  is.  For  the 
Word  is  written  by  pure  corresi^ondences,  therefore  without  a 
knowledge  of  correspondences  it  could  not  be  known  what  the 
internal  sense  is.  This  was  provided  by  the  Lord  lest  the  genuine 
goods  and  truths  themselves,  in  which  the  higher  heavens  are, 
should  be  profaned.  [6.]  But  the  internal  or  spiritual  sense  of  the 
Word  is  at  this  day  opened,  because  the  last  judgment  has  been 
accomplished,  and  therefore  all  things  in  the  heavens  and  in  the 
hells  have  been  reduced  to  order,  and  thus  the  Lord  can  provide 
that  no  profanations  take  place.  That  the  internal  or  spiritual 
sense  of  the  Word  would  be  opened  when  the  last  judgment  had 
been  accomplished  was  foretold  by  the  Lord  in  the  Apocalypse 
(respedting  which  see  77z^  White  Horse).  That  the  internal  or  Spiritual 
sense  ol  the  Word  would  then  suffer  no  harm  is  also  signified  by 
the  soldiers'  having  divided  the  Lord's  garments  and  not  the  tunic, 
which  was  without  seam,  woven  from  the  top  throughout  {jfo/in 
xix.  23,  24).  For  the  Lord's  "garments"  signify  the  Word;  the 
"garments  that  were  divided"  the  Word  in  the  letter  ;  the  "  tunic  " 
the  Word  in  the  internal  sense;  and  the  "soldiers"  those  who 
should  fight  in  behalf  of  the  goods  and  truths  of  the  church.    (That 

such  are  signified  by  the  "soldiers,"  see  above,  n.  64  at  the  end  ;  and  that  "garments  " 
in  the  Word  signify  truths,  "  clothing  "  good,  and  the  Lord's  "garments"  Divine 
truth,  thus  the  Word,  see  also  above,  n.  64,  I95-) 

[#!.]  [7.]  That  "oil"  signifies  good  of  love,  can  be  seen  es- 
pecially from  the  anointings  among  the  sons  of  Israel,  or  in  their 
church,  which  were  efifefted  by  oil ;  for  by  oil  all  things  of  the 
church  were  consecrated,  and  when  they  had  been  consecrated 
they  were  called  holy,  as  the  altar  and  its  vessels,  the  tent  of  meet- 
ing and  all  things  therein,  likewise  those  who  officiated  in  the 
priesthood  and  their  garments,  prophets  also,  and  afterwards  kings. 
Anyone  can  see  that  it  is  not  oil  itself  that  makes  holy,  ijut  it  is 
that  which  is  signified  by  "oil,"  which  is  good  of  love  to  the  Lord 
from  the  Lord;  this  is  signified  by  "oil;"  consequently  when 
persons  or  things  were  anointed,  from  that  moment  they  became 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE    6. — N.   37 ^[^ii)'].  75I 

representative,  for  the  oil  induced  a  representation  of  the  Lord 
and  of  the  g^ood  of  love  from  Him.  F"or  good  of  love  to  the 
Lord  from  the  Lord  is  the  holy  itself  of  heaven  and  the  church, 
'ince  through  it  everything  Divine  flows  in;  consequently  the 
things  of  heaven  and  the  church,  which  are  called  things  spiritual, 
are  so  far  holy  as  they  are  grounded  in  this  holy.  [8.]  The  reason 
of  the  representation  of  holiness  by  oil  is  this  :  the  Lord  alone  in 
respect  to  the  Divine  Human  is  the  Anointed  of  yehovah,  for  the 
essential  Divine  good  of  the  Divine  love  was  in  Him  from  con- 
ception, and  from  that  His  Human  when  He  was  in  the  \\ox\A 
was  Divine  truth  itself,  and  this  He  then  made  Divine  good  of  the 
Divine  love  by  uniting  it  with  the  essential  Divine  in  Himself. 
And  as  all  things  that  belonged  to  the  church  represented  things 
Divine  from  the  Lord,  and  in  the  highest  sense  the  Lord  Himself 
(since  the  church  instituted  with  the  sons  of  Israel  was  a  represent- 
ative church),  so  "oil,"  which  signified  the  Divine  good  of  the 
Divine  love,  was  employed  to  institute  representations  ;  and  after- 
wards the  things  or  persons  that  were  anointed  were  regarded  as 
holy,  not  that  there  was  from  this  any  holiness  in  them,  but  the 
holiness  in  heaven  was  thereby  represented  when  they  were  wor- 
shipping. This  has  been  said  that  it  may  be  known  that  "oil" 
signifies  good  of  love. 

[e.]    [9.]    But  that  this  may  be  made  clearer,  I  will  explain 
the  particulars  in  order,  namely, 

(i.)    In  ancient  times  they  anointed  with  oil  the  stones  set 
up  for  pillars  ; 

(ii.)    Also  arms  of  war,  as  bucklers  and  shields  ; 

(iii.)   Afterwards,  the  altar  and  all  its  vessels,  and  the  tent 
of  meeting  and  all  things  therein  ; 

(iv.)    And  besides,  those  who  officiated  in  the  priesthood,  and 

their  garments  ; 
(v.)   Also  prophets  ; 

(vi.)    And  finally,  kings,  who  were  therefore  called  "the 
anointed." 

(vii.)    //  was  a  custom  to  anoint  themsehjes  and  others  with 

oil,  to  express  gladness  of  mind  and  goodwill. 
(viii.)  From  this  it  is  evident  that  "oil"  in  the  Word  signi- 
fies good ;  the  "  oil  of  holiness,"  rvhich  was  prepared 
for  anointing  those  things  that  were  to  be  used  in 
worship  in  the  church,  signifying  the  Divine  good 
of  the  Divine  love  ;  and  "  oil"  in  general,  good  and 
its  enjoyment. 

[10.]    (i.)    That  they  anointed  stones  set  tip  for  pillars,  is  evi- 
dent from  the  Book  of  Genesis  : 

"Jacob  rose  up  early  in  the  morning,  and  took  the  stone  that  he  had  put 
under  his  head,  and  set  it  up  for  a  pillar,  and  poured  oil  on  the  top 


752  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

of  it.     And  he  called  the  name  of  that  place  Bethel And  he 

said,  If  I  shall  come  again  to  my  father's  house  in  peace, ....  this 
stone  which  I  have  set  up  for  a  pillar  shall  be  God's  house"  (xxviii. 
18-22). 

Stones  were  thus  anointed  because  "  stones  "  signified  truths,  and 
truths  without  good  have  no  spiritual  life,  that  is,  no  life  from  the 
Divine ;  but  when  the  stones  were  anointed  with  oil,  they  repre- 
sented truths  from  good,  and  in  the  highest  sense.  Divine  truth  go- 
ing forth  from  the  Divine  good  of  the  Lord,  who  is  therefore  called 
"the  Stone  of  Israel."  The  stones  themselves  set  up  were  called 
"pillars,"  and  were  accounted  holy,  and  from  this  arose  the  use  of 
pillars  among  the  ancients,  and  afterwards  in  their  temples.  As 
this  stone  then  set  up  by  Jacob  was  representatively  made  holy, 
Jacob  called  the  name  of  the  place  Bethel,  and  said  that  this  stone 
should  be  "God's  house,"  Bethel  meaning  "God's  house,"  and 
"God's  house"  signifies  the  church  in  respedl  to  good,  and  in  the 
highest  sense  the  Lord  in  respe6l  to  His  Di\'ine  Human  (  yoh.  ii. 

19—22).  (The  remainder  may  be  seen  explained  in  tlie  Arcana  Caelestia;  and 
further,  that  pillars  were  set  up  by  the  ancients  for  a  sign,  for  a  witness,  and  for  wor- 
ship, n.  3727  ;  that  at  first  they  were  holy  boundaries,  n.  3727  ;  that  afterwards  they 
were  used  in  worship,  n.  4580 ;  what  they  signified,  n.  4580.  10643.  That  "  stones  " 
signify  truths,  and  "  Stone  of  Israel "  the  Lord  in  respedl  to  Divine  truth,  n.  643, 
1298,  3720,  6426,  8609,  9388,  9389,  10376.  That  pouring  of  oil  upon  the  head  of  a 
pillar,  or  anointing  it,  was  done  to  institute  a  representative  of  truth  from  good,  and 
that  it  might  be  used  for  worship,  n,  3728,  4090.) 

[II.]    (ii.)    That  they  anointed  the  arms  of  war,  as  bucklers 
and  shields,  is  evident  from  Isaiah  : 

"  Rise  up,  ye  princes,  anoint  the  shield  "  (xxi.  5). 

Also  the  Second  Book  of  Samuel : 

"  The  shield  of  the  mighty  was  polluted ;  the  shield  of  Saul  was  not 
anointed  with  oil"  (i.  21). 

Arms  of  war  were  anointed  because  they  signified  truths  fighting 
against  falsities,  and  truths  from  good  are  what  prevail  against  fals- 
ities, but  not  truths  without  good ;  therefore  the  arms  of  war  re- 
presented the  truths  by  which  the  Lord  Himself  fights  in  man 
against  falsities  from  evil  which  are  from  hell.     (That  "  arms  of  war  " 

signify  truths  fighting  against  falsities,  see  A.C.,  n.  1788,  2686,  and  above,  n.  I3I[<i], 
367;  and  that  "wars  "  in  general  signify  spiritual  combats,  n.  1664,  2686,  8273, 
8295;  and  "enemies"  evils  and  falsities,  and  in  general  the  hells,  n,  2851,  8289, 
9314-) 

[12.]   (iii.)   That  thty  anointed  the  altar  and  all  its  vessels,  atid 
the  tent  of  m,ee ting,  and  all  things  therein,  is  evident  from  Moses : 

Jehovah  said  to  Moses,  "Thou  shalt  anoint"  the  altar,  and  "sandlify  it" 
{Exod.  >:Nix.  3!'o. 


CHAP.   VI.,   VERSE   6. — N.   375[<"  'v  )].  753 

In  the  .same, 

"Thou  shall  make  the  oil  of  anointing  of  holiness,  ....  wherewith  thou 
shalt  anoint  the  tent  of  meeting,  and  the  ark  of  the  testimony,  and 
the  table  and  all  the  vessels  thereof,  and  the  lampstand  and  all  the 
vessels  thereof,  and  the  altar  of  incense,  and  the  altar  of  burnt- 
offering,  and  all  the  vessels  thereof,  and  the  lavers  and  the  base. 
Thus  shalt  thou  sancilify  them,  that  they  mav  be  holy  of  holies  ; 
whosoever  shall  touch  them  shall  sandiify  himself"  {Exod.  xxx. 
25-29  ;  xl.  9-11  ;  Lev.  viii.  to-12  ;  Xu»i.  vii.  i). 

The  altars  and  the  tent  of  meeting,  with  all  thing^s  therein,  were 
anointed  that  they  might  represent  the  Divine  and  holy  things  of 
heaven  and  the  church,  conse([uently  the  holy  things  ol  worshij)  ; 
and  these  they  could  not  have  represented  unless  they  had  been 
consecrated  by  something  significative  of  the  good  of  lo\'e,  for  it 
is  through  the  good  of  love  that  the  Divine  enters,  and  through 
it  is  present ;  the  same  is  true  in  worship — without  good  of  love 
tlie  Di\ine  neither  enters  nor  is  present.  (That  the  altar  was  the  spe- 
cial representative  of  the  Lord,  and  thus  of  worship  from  good  of  love,  see  A.C.,  n. 
2777,  2811,  4489,  4541,  8935,  8940,  9388,  9389,  9714;  and  that  the  tent  with  the  ark 
was  the  special  representative  of  heaven  where  the  Lord  is,  n.  9457,  9481,  9485,  9594, 
9596.  9632.  9784) 

[13.]    (iv.)    That  they  anointed  those   who   officiated  in  the 
priesthood,  and  their  gannents,  is  evident  from  Moses: 

"Take  the  oil  of  anointing,  and  pour  it  upon  the  head  (of  Aaron),  and 
thou  shalt  anoint  him  "  {Exod.  xxix.  7 ;  xxx.  30). 

In  the  same, 

"  Put  upon  Aaron  the  garments  of  holiness,  and  thou  shalt  anoint  him 
and  sandlifyhim,  that  he  may  minister  unto  Me  in  the  priesthood  ; 
....  and  his  sons  ....  thou  shalt  anoint  as  thou  didst  anoint  their 
father,  ....  and  it  shall  be  that  their  anointing  is  to  them  a  priest- 
hood of  the  age  throughout  their  generations"  {Exod.  xl.  13-15). 

In  the  same, 

Moses  "poured  of  the  oil ...  .  upon  Aaron's  head,  and  anointed  him  to 
sancflify  him."  And  afterwards  "  he  took  of  the  oil  of  anointing, 
and  of  the  blood  that  was  upon  the  altar,  and  sprinkled  it  upon 
Aaron,  upon  his  garments,  upon  his  sons,  and  upon  his  sons'  gar- 
ments with  him,  and  san<flified  Aaron,  his  garments,  and  his  sons, 
and  his  sons'  garments  with  him"  {Lev.  viii.  12,  30). 

Aaron  and  his  sons  were  anointed,  and  their  \'ery  garments,  that 
they  might  represent  the  Lord  in  respeft  to  the  Divine  good,  and 
Divine  truth  therefrom  ;  Aaron,  the  Lord  in  respe6t  to  Divine 
good,  and  his  sons  the  Lord  in  respe6t  to  Divine  truth  therefrom  ; 
and,  in  general,  that  the  priesthood  might  represent  the  Lord  in 
respect  to  His  work  of  salvation.  Their  garments  were  anointed 
{Exod.  xxix.  29)  because  "  garments  "  represented  spiritual  things 

investmg.  (That  Aaron  represented  the  Lord  in  respedl  to  Divine  good,  see  A.C., 
n.  9806 ;  that  his  sons  represented  the  Lord  in  respedt  to  Divine  truth  going  forth 
from  Divine  good,  n.  9807  ;  that  the  priesthood  in  general  represented  the  Lord  in 


754  APOCALYPSE  EXPLAINED. 

vpspcol  to  Ills  work  of  snlvation,  n.  9809  ;  that  the  garments  of  Aaron  and  his  sons 
repn-sentcil  things  spiritual,  n.  9814,  9942,  9952.)       [14.]     Because    COIlsecra- 

tion  to  representation  was  effe<5led  by  anointing,  and  Aaron  and 
his  sons  represented  the  Lord  and  what  is  Irom  Him,  to  Aaron 
and  his  sons  the  holy  things  ot  the  sons  of  Israel  were  given  which 
were  gifts  given  to  Jehovah,  and  were  called  "  heave-otiterings  ;" 
and  it  is  said  that  they  were  "the  anointing"  or  "for  the  anoint- 
ing," that  is,  were  a  representation  or  for  a  representation  of  the 
Lord,  and  of  the  Divine  things  that  are  from  Him  ;  as  is  evident 
from  these  j^assages  in  Moses  : 

"  The  wave-breast  and  the  heave-shoulder  have  I  taken  from  among  the 
sons  of  Israel This  is  the  anointing  of  Aaron  and  the  anoint- 
ing of  his  sons  out  of  the  burnt-offerings  of  Jehovah, ....  which  He 
commanded  to  give  them  in  the  day  that  He  had  anointed  them 
from  among  the  sons  of  Israel"  {Lev.  vii.  34-36). 

And  elsewhere  in  the  .same, 

"Jehovah  spake  unto  Aaron,  Behold,  I  have  given  thee  the  charge  of 
Mine  heave-offerings  as  to  all  the  hallowed  things  of  the  sons  of 
Israel ;  unto  thee  have  I  given  them  by  reason  of  the  anointing, 

and  to  thy  sons,  by  the  ordinance  of  an  age Every  gift  of 

theirs,  even  to  every  meal-offering  of  theirs,  even  to  every  sacrifice  of 
sin  and  guilt  of  theirs, .  .  .  every  wave-offering  of  the  sons  of  Israel. 
....  All  the  fat  of  the  pure  oil,  and  all  the  fat  of  the  new  wine, 
and  of  the  corn,  the  firsts-fruits  of  them,  which  they  shall  give  unto- 

Jehovah,   to  thee  have    I  given  them Likewise   everything 

devoted  in  Israel,  ....  every  opening  of  the  womb  ....  thus  every 

heave-offering  of  things  holy Thou  shalt  have  no  inheritance 

in  their  land,  neither  shalt  thou  have  any  part  in  the  midst  of  them  ; 
I  am  thy  part  and  thine  inheritance  in  the  midst  of  the  sons  of  Is- 
rael "(A'mw.  xviii.  8-20). 

From  this  it  is  evident  that  an  anointing  is  a  representation^ 
since  by  anointing  they  were  consecrated  for  representing,  alsa 
that  it  was  signified  by  it  that  all  consecration  into  the  holiness  of 
heaven  and  the  church  is  bv  means  of  the  good  of  lo\'e  which  is 
from  the  Lord,  and  that  good  of  love  is  the  Lord  with  them  ;  be- 
cause this  is  so  it  is  said  that  Jehovah  is  "his  part  and  his  inherit- 
ance." 

[15.]    (v.)    That  they  miointed  the  prophets  also,  is  evident 
from  the  First  Book  of  Kings  : 

Jehovah  said  unto  Elijah,  "  Anoint  Hazael  to  be  king  over  Syria ;  and 
Jehu  ....  anoint  to  be  king  over  Israel ;  and  Elisha  ....  anoint  to^ 
be  prophet  instead  of  thee"  (xix.  15,  16). 

And  in  Isaiah  : 

"The  spirit  of  the  Lord  Jehovih  is  upon  me;  therefore  hath  Jehovab 
anointed  me  to  preach  good  tidings  unto  the  poor  "  (Ixi.  l). 

The  i:)rophets  were  anointed  because  the  prophets  represented  the 
Lord  in  respe6l  to  the  do6lrine  of  Dixine  truth,  consequent;}-  iiv 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE  6.— N.  376[^(vi.)].  755 

resped  to  the  Word  ;  for  the  Word  is  the  dodrine  of  Divine  truth 

(That  the  prophets  represented  and  thus  signified  docSlrine  from  the  Word,  see  A.C. 
n.  2534,  7269;  in  particular,  Elijah  and  Elisha,  n.  2762,  5247 at  the  end,  9372.)    That 

it  is  the  Lord  in  respe6t  to  the  Divine  Human  who  is  here  repre- 
sented, thus  that  it  was  He  whereby  Jehovah  anointed,  the  Lord 
Himself  teaches  in  Luke  (iv.  18-21). 

[16.]  (vi.)  T/iai  they  afterivards  anointed  kings,  and  that  these 
were  called  "the  anointed  of  Jehovah,''  is  evident  from  many  pas- 
sages in  the  Word 

(as  I  Sam.  x.  i  ;  xv.  i  ;  xvi.  3,  6,  12  ;  xxiv.  6,  10  ;  xxvi.  g,  11.  16,  23; 
2  Sam.  i.  16  ;  ii.  4,  7 ;  v.  3  ;  xix.  22  ;  i  Kings  i.  34,  35  ;  xix.  15,  16  ; 
2  Kings  ix.  3  ;  xi.  12  ;  xxiii.  30;  Lam.  iv.  20;  Hab.  iii.  13  ;  Psalm 
ii.  2, 6  ;  XX.  6  ;  xxviii.  8  ;  xlv.  7  ;  Ixxxiv.  9 ;  Ixxxix.  20,  38,  51  ;  cxxxii. 
17 ;  and  elsewhere). 

Kings  were  anointed  that  they  might  represent  the  Lord  in  rela- 
tion to  judgment  from  Divine  truth ;  therefore  in  the  Word 
"kings"  signify  Divine  truths  (see  above,  n.  31).  Kings  were 
called  "the  anointed  of  Jehovah,"  and  it  was  therefore  sacrilege 
to  do  harm  to  them,  because  "anointed  of  Jehovah  "  means  the 
Lord  in  respedl  to  the  Divine  Human,  although,  in  the  sense  of 
the  letter  the  term  is  applied  to  a  king  anointed  with  oil ;  for  the 
Lord,  when  He  was  m  the  world,  in  respect  to  His  Human  was 
the  Divine  truth  itself,  and  in  respect  to  the  very  esse  of  His  life, 
which  with  man  is  called  the  soul  from  the  father,  was  the  Divine 
good  itself  of  the  Divine  love ;  for  he  was  conceived  of  Jehovah, 
Jehovah  in  the  Word  meaning  the  Divine  good  of  the  Divine  love, 
which  is  the  esse  of  the  life  of  all ;  consequently  the  Lord  alone 
was  the  anointed  of  Jehovah  in  very  essence  and  in  very  deed, 
since  there  was  in  Him  the  Divine  good  of  the  Divine  love,  as  well 
as  the  Divine  truth  going  forth  from  that  good  itself  in  His 
Human  while  He  was  in  the  world  (see  above,  n.  63,  200,  228,  328; 

and  in  the  Dodrine  of  the  New  yerusalem,  n.  293-295,  303-305).       Moreover, 

earthly  kings  were  not  "  the  anointed  of  Jehovah,"  but  were  so 
called  because  they  represented  the  Lord,  who  alone  was  "the 
Anointed  of  Jehovah,"  therefore  because  they  were  anointed  it  was 
sacrilege  to  harm  the  kings  of  the  earth.  But  the  anointing  of  the 
kings  of  the  earth  was  an  anointing  with  oil,  while  the  anointing  of 
the  Lord  in  respe6l  to  the  Divine  Human  was  accomplished  by 
the  Divine  good  itself  of  the  Divine  love  ;  and  this  is  what  "oil" 
signified  and  "anointing"  represented.  For  this  reason  the  Lord 
was  called  the  Messiah  and  Christ,  Messiah  in  the  Hebrew  signi- 
fying anointed,  and  Christ  the  same  in  Greek  (^John  i.  41  ;  iv.  25). 
[17.1  From  this  it  can  be  seen,  that  when  "the  anointed  of  Jeho- 
vah "  is  mentioned  in   the  Word,  in  a  representative  sense  the 


756  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

Lord  is  meant.     As  in  Isaiah  : 

"The  spirit  of  the  Lord  Jehovih  is  upon  Me;  therefore  hath  Jehovah 
anointed  Me  to  preach  good  tidings  unto  the  poor  ;  He  hath  .  cnt 
Me  to  bind  up  the  broken  in  heart,  to  proclaim  liberty  to  th.  cap- 
tives" (Ixi.  i). 

That  the  Lord  in  respedl  to  the  Divine  Human  is  He  whom  Jeho- 
vah anointed,  is  evident  in  Luke,  where  the  Lord  openly  declares 
it  in  these  words : 

There  was  delivered  to  Jesus  "the  book  of  the  prophet  Isaiah.  And  he 
opened  the  book,  and  found  the  place  where  it  was  written.  The 
spirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon  Me,  because  He  hath  anointed  Me  to 
preach  good  tidings  to  the  poor  ;  He  hath  sent  Me  to  heal  the  con- 
trite in  heart,  to  proclaim  release  to  the  captives,  and  recovery  of 
sight  to  the  blind,  to  set  at  liberty  them  that  are  bruised,  to  pro- 
claim the  accepted  year  of  the  Lord.  After  that,  closing  the  book,  He 
gave  it  to  the  minister,  and  sat  down.  But  the  eyes  of  all  in  the 
synagogue  were  fastened  on  Him.  He  began  to  say  unto  them, 
To-day  hath  this  scripture  been  fulfilled  in  your  ears"  (iv.  17-21). 

In  Daniel: 

"  Know  therefore,  and  perceive,  that  from  the  going  forth  of  the  Word 
even  to  the  restoration  and  building  of  Jerusalem,  even  to  Messiah 
the  Prince,  shall  be  seven  weeks"  (ix.  25). 

"To  build  Jerusalem"  means  to  establish  the  church,  "Jerusa- 
lem "  meaning  the  church ;  "  Messiah  the  Prince,"  that  is.  The 
Anointed,  means  the  Lord  in  respe<5l  to  the  Divine  Human. 
[18.]    In  the  same, 

"  Seventy  weeks  are  determined. . .  .to  seal  up  vision  and  prophecy,  and 
to  anoint  the  holy  of  holies  "  (ix.  24). 

"To  seal  up  vision  and  prophecy"  means  to  conclude  and  com- 
plete the  things  said  in  the  Word  respedting  the  Lord  ;  "anoint- 
ing the  holy  of  holies"  meaning  the  Lord's  Divine  Human,  in  which 
was  the  Divine  good  of  the  Divine  love,  that  is,  Jehovah.  [19.] 
"The  anointed  of  Jehovah"  means  the  Lord  in  the  following  pas- 
sages also.     In  David  : 

"The  kings  of  the  earth  set  themselves  and  the  rulers  took  counsel  to- 
gether against  Jehovah  and  against  His  anointed I  have 

anointed  My  king  upon  Zion,   the    mountain  of    My   holiness " 
{Psalm  ii.  2,  6). 

"Kings  of  the  earth"  are  falsities,  and  "rulers"  are  evils  from  the 
hells,  against  which  the  Lord  fought  when  He  was  in  the  world, 
and  which  He  conquered  and  subdued  ;  "the  anointed  of  Jeho- 
vah" is  the  Lord  in  respe<?l:  to  the  Divine  Human  from  which  He 
fought ;  "  Zion,  the  mountain  of  holiness,"  upon  which  He  is  said 
to  have  been  anointed  as  a  king,  is  the  celestial  kingdom,  which 
is  in  the  good  of  love  ;  this  kingdom  is  the  inmost  of  heaven  and 


CHAP.  VI.,   VERSE   6. — N.   375[^(vi.)].  757 

the  inmost  of  the  church.     [20.]     In  the  same, 

*'  I  have  found  David  My  servant ;  with  the  oil  of  My  holiness  have  I 
anointed  him  "  (Psalm  Ixxxix.  20). 

"David"  here  as  elsewhere  means  the  Lord  (see  above,  n.  205) ; 
"the  oil  of  holiness  "  with  which  Jehovah  anointed  him  means 
the  Divine  good  of  the  Divine  love ;  that  it  is  the  Lord  who  is 
here  meant  by  David  is  clear  from  what  precedes  and  what  follows, 
for  it  is  said, 

"Thou  spakest  in  vision  of  thy  Holy  One I  will  set  his  hand  on  the 

sea,  and  his  right  hand  on  the  rivers.     He  shall  call  Me,  My  Fa- 
ther     Also  I  will  make  him  the  first-born,  high  aljove  the 

kings  of  the  earth His  seed  will  I  establish  forever,  and  his 

throne  as  the   days  of  the  heavens  "  (verse  19,  25-27,  29  ;  besides 
other  passages). 

Likewise  elsewhere  in  the  same. 

In  Zion  "  will  I  make  the  horn  of  David  to  bud :  J  will  set  in  order  a 
lamp  for  Mine  anointed.  His  enemies  will  I  clothe  with  shame, 
but  upon  himself  shall  his  crown  flourish  "  {Psabn  cxxxii.  17,  18). 

That  here,  too,  the  Lord  is  meant  by  "  David  "  is  evident  from  the 
preceding  verses,  where  it  is  said, 

"  We  have  heard  of  Him  in  Ephratah  ;  we  have  found  Him  in  the  fields  of 
the  wood.  We  will  go  into  His  habitations  ;  we  will  bow  ourselves 
down  at  His  footstool Thy  priests  shall  be  clothed  with  right- 
eousness, and  Thy  saints  shall  shout  for  joy  ;  for  Thy  servant  Da- 
vid's sake  turn  not  away  the  faces  of  Thine  anointed  "  (verses  6-10). 

From  this  it  can  be  seen  that  the  Lord  in  respe(?l  to  His  Divine 
Human  is  here  meant  by  David,  "the  anointed  of  Jehovah." 
[21.]     In  yeremiah : 

"They  chased  us  upon  the  mountains,  they  laid  wait  for  us  in  the  wilder- 
ness. The  breath  of  our  nostrils,  the  Anointed  of  Jehovah,  was 
taken  in  their  pits  ;  of  whom  we  had  said,  Under  his  shadow  we 
shall  live  among  the  nations"  {Lam.  iv.  19,  20). 

Here,  also,  "the  anointed  of  Jehovah"  means  the  Lord,  for  this 
treats  of  assault  upon  Divine  truth  by  falsities  and  evils,  which  is 
the  signification  of  "they  chased  us  upon  the  mountains,  and 
laid  wait  in  the  wilderness  ;"  "breath  of  the  nostrils  "  means  heav- 
enly life  itself  which  is  from  the  Lord  (/4.c.,n.  9818).  [22.]  From 
this  it  can  now  be  known  why  it  was  so  sacrilegious  to  do  harm  to 
the  anointed  of  Jehovah,  as  appears  from  the  Word.  Thus,  in  the 
JFirsf  Book  of  Samiiel: 

David  said,  "Jehovah  forbid  that  I  should  do  this  word  unto  my  lord,  the 
anointed  of  Jehovah,  and  put  forth  my  hand  against  him,  seeing  he 
is  the  anointed  of  Jehovah  "  (xxiv.  6,  10). 

So  again, 


y^S  Al'Ot'AI.VPSK    KXri.AlNKl). 

"  David  said  to  Abishai,  Destroy  him  not ;  for  who  shall  put  forth  his 
hand  against  the  anointed  of  Jehovah  and  be  guiltless  ?"  (xxvi.  9.) 

In  the  Second  Book  of  Samuel : 

David  said  unto  him  who  said  that  he  had  slain  Saul,  "Thy  blood  be 
upon  thy  head  ;  for  thou  hast  said,  I  slew  the  anointed  of  Jehovah  " 
(i.  16). 

And  again, 

Abishai  said,  "  Shall  not  Shimei  be  put  to  death  for  this,  because  he 
cursed  the  anointed  of  Jehovah  ?"  (xix.  21.)  That  Shimei  was  there- 
fore slain  by  command  of  Solomon,  see  i  Kings  ii.  36,  to  the  end. 

[23.]  (vii.)  That  it  was  a  custom  to  ayioint  themselves  a7id 
others  with  oil,  to  express  gladness  of  mind  and  good  will,  is  evi- 
dent from  tlie  following  passages.     In  Amos: 

"  Who  drink  out  of  bowls  of  wine,  and  anoint  themselves  with  the  first 
fruits  of  the  oils,  but  they  are  not  grieved  for  the  breach  of  Joseph  " 

(vi.  6). 

In  Micah  : 

"  Thou  shalt  tread  the  olive,  but  thou  shalt  not  anoint  thee  with  oil  "  (vi. 
15); 

meaning,  Thou  shalt  not  be  glad.     In  Moses  : 

"  Thou  shalt  have  olive  trees  in  all  thy  border,  but  thou  shalt  not  anoint 
thee  with  the  oil "  (JDeut.  xxviii.  40). 

These  words  ha\'e  the  same  signification.     In  Isaiah  : 

"To  give  them  a  head-ornament  instead  of  ashes,  the  oil  of  joy  instead 

of  mourning  "  (Ixi.  3). 

In  David  : 

Thy  God  "  hath  anointed  thee  with  the  oil  of  gladness  above  thy  fellows  " 
{Psalm  xlv.  7). 

In  the  same, 

"  My  horn  shalt  thou  exalt  like  the  horn  of  a  unicorn  ;  I  shall  grow  old 
in  fresh  oil "  {Psalm  xcii.  10). 

In  the  same, 

"Wine  gladdeneth  the  heart  of  man,  to  make  the  face  bright  with  oil" 
{Psalm  civ.  15). 

In  Luke : 

Jesus  said  to  Simon,  "  I  entered  into  thine  house and  My  head 

with  oil  thou  didst  not  anoint ;  but  this  woman  hath  anointed  My 
feet  with  ointment"  (vii.  44,  46). 

In  Matthew  : 

"But  thou,  when  thou  fastest,  anoint  thy  head,  and  wash  thy  face,  that 
thou  appear  not  unto  men  to  fast"  (vi.  17,  18). 

[24.]    "  To  fast "  signifies  to  mourn,  because  they  fasted  when  they 


CHAP.   VI.,  VERSE    6. — N.   375[<?(viii.)].  759 

mourned,  and  as  they  then  refrained  from  expressions  of  gladness, 
they  also  abstained  from  anointing  themselves  with  oil ;  as  in 
Daniel: 

"I  Daniel  was  mourning  three  weeks;  I  ate  not  the  bread  of  desires, 
neither  came  flesh  nor  wine  in  my  mouth,  neither  was  I  anointed 
with  anointing,  until  three  weeks  of  days  were  fulfilled  "  (x.  2,  3). 

From  this  it  is  clear  that  it  was  a  custom  to  anoint  themselves 
and  others  with  oil;  not  with  the  "oil  of  holiness"  with  which 
priests,  kings,  the  altar,  and  the  tabernacle  were  anointed,  but  with 
common  oil,  because  this  oil  signified  the  gladness  and  satisfaction 
that  are  from  love  of  good,  while  "the  oil  of  holiness"  signified 
the  Divine  good  ;  of  this  it  is  said, 

•'  Upon  the  flesh  of  man  shall  it  not  be  poured,  and  in  quality  thereof  ye 
shall  not  make  any  like  it ;.  . .  .it  shall  be  holy  unto  you.  Whoso- 
ever shall  prepare  any  like  it,  or  whosoever  shall  put  any  of  it  upon 
a  stranger,  shall  be  cut  off  from  his  people  "  {Exod.  xxx.  32,  33,  38). 

[25.]  (viii.)  From  this  it  is  evident  that  '^  oiV  in  the  Wo?'d 
signifies  good ;  the  "'oil  of  holiness,^'  which  was  prepai^ed  for 
anointing  the  things  that  were  used  in  the  worship  of  the  church 
signifying  the  Divine  good  of  the  Divine  love,  and  ''oil"  in  gen- 
eral, good  and  its  etijoynient,  as  can  be  seen  from  other  passages  in 
the  Word  where  "  oil "  is  mentioned,  as  from  the  following.  [26.]  In 
David : 

"  Behold  how  good  and  how  delightful  it  is  for  brethren  to  dwell  togeth- 
er !  It  is  like  the  good  oil  upon  Aaron's  head,  that  cometh  down 
upon  the  beard,  Aaron's  beard  ;  that  cometh  down  upon  the  open- 
ing of  his  garments  ;  like  the  dew  of  Hermon  that  cometh  down 
upon  the  mountains  of  Zion  ;  there  Jehovah  hath  commanded  the 
blessing  of  life  even  to  eternity  "  {Psalm  cxxxiii.). 

What  these  words  signify  no  one  can  know  unless  he  knows  what 
is  signified  by  "brethren,"  by  "the  oil  upon  Aaron's  head,"  by 
"his  beard,"  and  "  the  opening  of  his  garments,"  and  by  "the  dew 
of  Hermon,"  and  "the  mountains  of  Zion."  "Brethren"  here 
signify  good  and  truth,  for  these  are  called  "  brethren "  in  the 
Word  ;  therefore  "  Behold  how  good  and  how  delightful  it  is  for 
brethren  to  dwell  together"  signifies  that  in  the  conjundlion  of 
good  and  truth  is  every  heavenly  good  and  delight,  for  every 
heavenly  good  and  delight  is  from  the  conjundlion  of  good  and 
truth.  "  The  oil  upon  the  head  that  cometh  down  upon  the  beard, 
Aaron's  beard,  that  cometh  down  upon  the  opening  of  his  gar- 
ments," signifies  that  from  that  conjundion  is  good  and  delight 
of  heaven,  from  inmosts  to  outmosts,  "head"  signifying  the  in- 
most, "beard"  the  outmost ;  "to  come  down  upon  the  opening  of 
his  garments"  signifies  the  influx  and  conjundion   of  celestial 


760  APOCALYPSE    li.M'l.AlNlID. 

tjoocl  ami  spiritual  good.  (IliiU  in  tlic  Word  good  and  truth  ;ire  calKd 
"  brethren,"  see  ^l.C,  n.  367,  3160,  9806  ;  that  "  head  "  signifies  the  inmost,  n.  4938, 
4939,  9656,  9913,  9914 ;  "  beard  "  the  outmost,  n.  9960  ;  "  opening  of  the  garments  " 
the  inliux  and  conjunction  of  celestial  and  spiritual  good,  thus  of  good  and  truth, 
II.  9913,  9914  ;  and  this  is  said  of  .Aaron,  because  he  represented  the  Lord  in  respedt 
In  Divine  good,  since  every  good  and  every  conjunt5tion  of  good  and  trulii  is  from 

iiim.  n.  9806,  9946,  10017.)  "The  dew  of  Hermon"  signifies  Divine 
truth,  and  "the  mountains  of  Zion"  signify  Divine  good  ;  there- 
fore "like  the  dew  of  Hermon  that  cometh  down  upon  the  mount- 
ains of  Zion"  signifies  the  conjunction  of  truth  and  good,  which 
is  here  treated  of;  and  as  angels  and  men  have  all  their  spiritual 
life  from  that  conjunction,  it  is  added,  "there  Jehovah  hath  com- 
manded the  blessing  of  life  to  eternity."  (That  "dew"  signifies  Divine 
truth,  see  A.C.,  n.  3579,  8455  ;  that  "  mountains  "  signify  Divine  good,  and  why,  n. 
795,  4210,  6435,  8327,  8758,  10438,  10608  ;  and  that  "  Zion"  signifies  the  church 
where  good  of  love  is,  n.  2362,  9055  at  the  end.)       From    this    it    is    clear 

what  the  Word  is  in  its  spiritual  sense,  notwithstanding  its  sound 
in  the  letter.     [27.]    In  Ezekiel : 

"I  entered  into  a  covenant  with  thee,.  .  .  .that  thou  mightest  be  Mine; 
and  I  washed  thee  with  waters,  yea,  I  washed  away  thy  bloods  from 
upon  thee,  and  I  anointed  thee  with  oil ;  and  I  clothed  thee  also 

with   broidered    work,    and  shod   thee  with  badgers'  skins 

Thou  didst  eat  fine  flour,  honey,  and  oil,  whence  thou  didst  become 
exceeding  beautiful,  and  didst  prosper  even  to  a  kingdom  "  (xvi. 
8-10,  13). 

These  things  are  said  of  "Jerusalem,"  which  signifies  the  church, 
therefore  these  particulars  signify  the  spiritual  things  pertaining  to 
the  church.  These  things  evidently  were  not  said  of  the  inhabit- 
ants of  Jerusalem,  namelv,  that  Jehovah  "washed  them  with  wa- 
ters," "washed  away  their  bloods,"  "clothed  them  with  broidered 
work,  and  shod  them  with  badgers'  skins;"  but  "to  wash  with 
waters  "  signifies  to  reform  and  purify  by  means  of  truths  ;  "to  wash 
away  bloods"  signifies  to  remove  falsities  of  evil ;  "to  anoint  with 
oil"  signifies  to  gift  with  good  of  love ;  "to  clothe  with  broidered 
work,"  and  "to  shoe  with  badgers'  skins,"  signify  to  instrudl  in 
knowledges  of  truth  and  good  from  the  sense  of  the  letter  or  the 
outmost  sense  of  the  Word  ;  "  to  eat  fine  flour,  honey,  and  oil,"  sig- 
nifies to  make  truth  and  good  one's  own;  "to  become  beautiful 
thereby"  signifies  to  become  intelligent ;  and  "to  prosper  even  to 
a  kingdom  "  signifies  thus  to  become  a  church,  "  kingdom  "  mean- 
ing the  church.     [28.]    In  yeremiah : 

"Jehovah  hath  redeemed  Jacob.  Therefore  they  shall  come  and  sing 
in  the  height  of  Zion,  and  shall  flow  together  unto  the  goodness 
of  Jehovah ;  to  the  wheat,  and  to  the  new  wine,  and  to  the  oil,  and 
to  the  sons  of  the  flock  and  of  the  herd  ;  and  their  soul  shall  become 
as  a  watered  garden"  (xxxi.  11,  12)  ; 

"new  wine  and  oil"  signifying  truth  and  good.     (What  the  remain- 


CHAP.   VI.,   VERSE  6.— N.  375[Aviii.)J.  7^1 

der  signifies  see  just  above,  11.  374[<?].  I       [29.]     In  yoe/ : 

"Rejoice,  ye  sons  of  Zion,  and  be  glad  in  Jehovah  your  God  ;  for  He 
hath  given  you  the  former  rain  in  righteousness, ....  so  that  your 
floors  are  full  of  pure  corn,  the  presses  overflow  with  new  wine  and 
oil"  (ii.  23,  24). 

Here,  too,  "new  wine  and  oil"  signify  the  truth  and  good  of  the 
church,  for  "sons  of  Zion,"  to  whom  these  things  are  said,  signify 
those  who  are  of  the  church  ;  "the  former  rain  in  righteousness" 
signifies  Divine  truth  flowing  into  good,  from  which  is  their  con- 
junction, fru6lification,  and  multiplication  ;  and  "floors  full  of  pure 
corn  "  signify  consequent  fulness.     [30.]    In  the  same, 

"  The  field  was  laid  waste,  the  land  mourned  ;  for  the  corn  was  laid  waste, 
the  new  wine  was  dried  up,  the  oil  languisheth  "  (i.  10). 

This  signifies  the  devastation  of  all  things  of  the  church  which 
have  reference  in  general  to  good  of  love  and  truth  of  faith  :  "  field," 
and  also  "land,"  mean  the  church,  "field"  the  church  from  recep- 
tion of  truth,  and  "land  "  the  church  from  perception  of  good  ; 
"corn"  means  everything  of  the  church,  "new  wine"  truth,  and 
"oil"  good.     [31.]    \n  Isaiah  : 

"I  will  sing  to  my  beloved  a  song  of  my  friend My  beloved  had 

a  vineyard  in  a  horn  of  the  son  of  oil,  which  he  fenced,  and  gath- 
ered out  the  stones,  and  planted  it  with  a  noble  vine ; .  .  . .  and  he 
looked  that  it  should  bring  forth  grapes,  but  it  brought  forth  wild 
grapes"  (v.  i,  2). 

"The  vineyard  that  the  beloved  had  in  a  horn  of  the  son  of  oil  " 
signifies  a  spiritual  church  which  has  truths  from  good  of  love, 
thus  most  e.xcellent ;  for  "  vineyard  "  signifies  a  spiritual  church, 
that  is,  a  church  that  is  in  truths  from  good  ;  its  consecration  is 
meant  by  "  the  horn  of  oil,"  for  consecrations  were  performed 
by  oil  out  of  a  horn  ;  and  "son  of  oil,"  means  truth  from  good  ; 
"beloved"  means  the  Lord,  because  He  it  is  who  establishes 
churches,  therefore  it  is  said  of  Him,  "which  he  fenced  and  gath- 
ered out  the  stones,  and  planted  with  a  noble  vine,"  "a  noble 
vine"  meaning  spiritual  truth  from  the  celestial,  or  truth  from 
good  of  love ;  the  "  grapes  "  that  he  looked  that  it  should  bring 
forth  signify  goods  of  charity,  which  are  of  goods  of  life ;  and 
the  "wild  grapes"  that  it  brought  forth  signify  evils  that  are  con- 
trary to  goods  of  charity,  that  is,  evils  of  life.    [32.]    \xv  Hosea: 

"  In  that  day I  will  listen  to  the  heavens,  and  they  shall  listen  to  the 

earth  ;  and  the  earth  shall  listen  to  the  corn  and  the  new  wine  and 
the  oil ;  and  these  shall  listen  to  Jezreel.  And  I  will  sow  her  unto 
Me  in  the  earth"  (ii.  21-23). 


762  APOCALYPSE   EXPLAINED^ 

This  is  said  of  ;i  new  cliurch  to  be  e.stahli^hecl  1)\  the  Lord  ;  ;:;.d 
"to  listen  to"  means  to  obey  and  to  receive  ;  ol)edience  and  re- 
ception following  and  succeeding  in  order  are  thus  described. 
That  the  heavens  will  receive  from  the  I.ord  is  meant  by  "  1  will 
listen  to  the  heavens ;"  that  the  church  will  receive  from  the  heav- 
ens, thus  from  the  Lord  through  the  heavens,  is  meant  by  "the 
heavens  shall  listen  to  the  earth  ;"  that  good  and  truth  will  receive 
from  the  church  is  meant  by  "the  earth  shall  listen  to  the  corn  and 
the  new  wine  and  the  oil  ;"  "new  wine"  meanint^  truth,  and  "oil" 
good  ;  nnd  that  those  that  are  of  the  church  with  whom  there  are 
good  and  truth  will  receive  therefrom  is  meant  by  "these  shall 
listen  to  Jezreel."  Evidently  the  earth  with  its  corn,  new  wine, 
and  oil  is  not  meant,  but  the  church  with  its  goods  and  truths, 
for  it  is  said,  "  I  will  sow  Jezreel  unto  Me  in  the  earth."  [33.]  In 
Isaiah  : 

"  I  will  give  in  the  desert  the  cedar  of  shittah,  and  the  myrtle,  and  the 
oil  tree ;  I  will  set  in  the  wilderness  the  fir,  the  pine,  and  the  box 
tree  "  (xli.  19). 

This  is  said  of  the  establishment  of  the  church  among  the  na- 
tions by  the  Lord  ;  and  "desert"  and  "wilderness"  signify  where 
there  was  before  no  good  because  no  truth  ;  "cedar  of  shittah," 
"myrtle,"  and  "oil  tree,"  signify  spiritual  and  celestial  good;  and 
"fir,"  "pine,"  and  "box  tree,"  signify  good  and  truth  therefrom 
in  the  natural ;  for  every  tree  in  the  Word  signifies  something 
pertaining  to  the  good  and  truth  of  the  church  ;  and  "  cedar 
of  shittah,"  "myrtle"'  and  "oil  tree"  signify  such  things  of  the 
church  as  are  in  the  spiritual  or  internal  man  ;  while  "fir,"  "  pine," 
and  "box  tree"  signify  such  things  of  the  church  as  are  in  the 
natural  or  external  man.     [34.]    In  David  : 

"  [Jehovah  is]  my  shepherd  ;  I  shall  not  want.  He  will  make  me  to  lie 
down  in  pastures  of  tender  grass.  He  will  lead  me  to  waters  of 

rest Thou  wilt  arrange  a  table  before  me  in  the  presence  of 

mine  enemies  ;  my  head  wilt  Thou  make  fat  with  oil ;  my  cup  will 
overflow"  {Psabn  xxiii.  i,  2,  5). 

This  means,  in  the  internal  sense,  that  he  who  trusts  in  the  Lord  is 
led  into  all  the  goods  and  truths  of  heaven,  and  overflows  with  the 
enjoyments  thereof;  "my  shepherd"  means  the  Lord  ;  "pastures 
of  tender  grass  "  signify  knowledges  of  truth  and  good  ;  "  waters 
of  rest"  signify  the  truths  of  heaven  therefrom;  "table"  signifies 
spiritual  nourishment;  "to  make  fat  the  head  with  oil"  signifies 
wisdom  which  is  from  good  ;  "  my  cup  will  overflow  "  signifies  intel- 


CHAP.  VI.,   VERSE   6. — N.  375[<'  viii. )].  763 

ligence  which  is  from  truths,  "  cup  "  signifying  the  same  as  "  wine." 
"Pastures  of  tender  grass"  and  "waters  of  rest"  seem  to  be  men- 
tioned as  if  they  were  comparisons,  because  the  Lord  is  called  a 
shepherd,  and  the  flock  of  the  shepherd  is  led  into  green  pastures 
and  to  limpid  waters;  but  these  are  correspondences.  [35.]  In 
Ezekiel: 

"Judah  and  the  land  of  Israel  were  thy  traders  ....  in  the  wheats  of 
Minnith  and  Pannag,  and  in  honey,  and  oil,  and  balsam  "  (xxvii. 
17). 

This  is  said  of  Tyre,  which  signifies  the  church  in  relation  to- 
knowledges  of  truth  and  good  ;  thus  "Tyre"  signifies  the  know- 
ledges of  truth  and  good  of  the  church  ;  and  "Judah  "  and  "  land 
of  Israel,"  who  were  traders,  signify  the  church,  "Judah"  the 
church  in  relation  to  good,  and  "land  of  Israel"  the  church  in 
relation  to  truths  from  good  ;  and  "to  trade"  signifies  to  acquire 
to  oneself  and  to  communicate  to  others.  "Wheats  of  Minnith 
and  Pannag"  signify  goods  and  truths  in  general;  and  "honey, 
oil,  and  balsam,"  goods  and  truths  in  particular,  "honey"  and 
"oil"  goods;  and  "balsam"  truths  which  are  grateful  from  good, 
for  all  truths  that  are  from  good  are  perceived  in  heaven  as  fra- 
grant, and  consequently  as  grateful ;  and  this  is  the  reason  that 
the  oil  of  anointing  was  prepared  from  a  variety  of  fragrant  things 
(respecting  which  see  Exod.  xxx.  22-33)  !  ^^^o  the  oil  for  the 
lamps  (respedling  which  see  Exod.  xxvii.  20,  21).  [36.]  In 
Moses : 

Jehovah  "fed  him  with  the  produce  of  the  fields,  He  made  him  to  suck 
honey  out  of  the  cliff,  and  oil  out  of  the  flinty  rock"  {Deut.  xxxii. 
13). 

This  treats  of  the  Ancient  church  ;  "  to  suck  oil  out  of  the  flinty 
rock "  means  to  be  imbued  with  good  through  truths  of  faith  ; 
"honey"  means  natural  good  and  delight;  "oil"  spiritual  good 
and  delight;  and  "cliff"  and  "flinty  rock"  mean  truth  of  faith 
from  the  Lord.  If  spiritual  things  were  not  meant  by  these  words, 
what  meaning  could  there  be  in  "sucking  honey  out  of  the  cliff, 
and  oil  out  of  the  flinty  rock?"     [37.]    \\\  Habakkuk: 

"  The  fig  tree  shall  not  blossom,  neither  shall  there  be  produce  from  the 
vines  ;  the  labor  of  the  olive  shall  promise  falsely,  and  the  fields 
shall  yield  no  food"  (iii.  17). 

Here  fig  tree,  vine,  olive,  and  fields,  are  not  meant,  but  heavenly 
things,  to  which  they  correspond.  "  Fig  tree  "  corresponds  to  and 
thus  signifies  natural    good;    "vine"  corresponds  to   spiritual 


764  APOCALVPSF,    EXIM.AINKI). 

good,  which  in  its  essence  is  trutli  ;  the  ''()h\e,"  as  the  huil  Iroin 
whicli  oil  is  derived,  correspontls  to  good  ot  love  in  a6l ;  and 
"fields"  correspond  to  all  things  of  the  chinch  ;  "produce"  and 
"foods"  signify  therefore  all  things  pertaining  to  spiritual  noiwish- 
nient ;  from  which  it  is  clear  what  these  things  se\erally  signify. 
[38.]    In  Hosca  : 

"  Ephraim  feedeth  on  wind  ;.  . .  .they  make  a  covenant  with  Assyria,  and 
oil  is  carried  down  into  Egypt"  (xii.  i). 

This  has  no  meaning  until  it  is  known  what  is  meant  by  "  Ephraim," 
"  Assvria,"  and  "  Egypt."  Man's  own  intellect  {jntelleciuaif  proprium), 
which  bv  reasonings  from  knowledges  {scientijica)  per\'erts  and 
adulterates  the  goods  of  the  church,  is  here  described.  "  Ephraim  " 
means  the  intellect ;  "Assyria"  reasoning;  and  "Egypt"  the 
knowing  faculty  {scieutificum);  therefore  "to  carry  down  oil  into 
Egypt"  means  to  pervert  the  goods  of  the  church  by  reasonings 
from  knowledges  (sdentifica).     [39.]    In  Zechariah  : 

"I  saw  a  lampstand  of  gold  ;.  . .  .two  olive  trees  by  it,  one  upon  the  right 

side  of  the  bowl,  and  the  other  upon  the  left  side  thereof 

These  are  the  two  sons  of  oil  that  stand  by  the  Lord  of  the  whole 
earth"  (iv.  2,  3,  14). 

"Two  olive  trees"  and  "two  sons  of  oil"  mean  good  of  love  to 
the  Lord  and  good  of  charity  towards  the  neighbor ;  the  latter  at 
His  left  hand,  the  former  at  His  right.  [40.]  Likewise  in  the 
Apocalypse  : 

The  two  witnesses  "  shall  prophesy  a  thousand  two  hundred  and  sixty 

days These  are  the  two  olive  trees,  and  the  two  lampstands 

standing  before  the  God  of  the  earth  "  (xi.  3,  4) ; 

the  "two  olive  trees"  and  "two  lampstands"  mean  these  same 
goods,  which  are  called  "  the  two  witnesses  "  because  they  are  from 
the  Lord  ;  but  more  respe6ting  these  when  they  are  explained. 
[41.]  Because  "oil"  signified  good  of  love  to  the  Lord,  and  good 
of  charity  towards  the  neighbor. 

The  Lord  likened  the  kingdom  of  the  heavens  to  ten  virgins,  of  whom 
five  had  oil  in  their  lamps,  and  five  had  not ;  therefore  the  latter 
were  called  foolish,  and  the  former  wise  {Matt.  xxv.  i-ii). 

"The  ten  virgins"  signify  all  who  are  of  the  church  ;  and  "five" 
signify  some  or  a  part  of  them,  for  such  is  the  signification  of  the 
numbers  "ten"  and  "five"  in  the  Word;  and  "\irgin"  or 
"daughter"  signifies  the  church  ;  "oil"  signifies  good  of  love  to 
the  Lord  and  good  of  charity  towards  the  neighbor  ;  and  "  lamps  " 
sienifv  the  truths  that  are  called  truths  of  faith.     From  this  the 


CHAP.   VI.,   VERSE   6. — N.  375[^(viii.)].  765 

meaning  of  these  words  in  the  .spiritual  sense  can  be  seen,  namely, 
that  the  virgins  that  had  no  oil  in  their  lamps,  and  consequently 
were  not  admitted  into  heaven,  are  those  who  know  truths  from 
the  Word,  or  from  the  doctrine  of  the  church,  and  yet  are  not 
In  the  good  of  love  and  charity,  that  is,  do  not  live  according 
to  these  truths ;  while  the  virgins  who  had  oil  in  their  lamps,  and 
were  received  into  heaven,  are  those  who  are  in  the  good  of 
love  and  charity,  and  thus  in  truths  from  the  Word  or  from  the 
do6trine  of  the  church  ;  which  makes  clear  why  the  latter  virgins 
are  called  "wise,"  and  the  former  "foolish."  [42.]  Because 
" oil" signified  the  good  of  love  and  charity,  and  "wine"  signified 
truth, 

The  Lord  says  of  the  Samaritan,  who  as  he  journeyed  saw  in  the  way  a 
man  wounded  by  thieves,  that  he  poured  oil  and  wine  into  his 
wounds,  and  then  set  him  on  his  own  beast,  and  brought  him 
to  an  inn,  and  told  them  to  care  for  him  {Luke  x.  33-35). 

In  the  spiritual  sense  these  things  are  thus  perceived:  "the 
Samaritan"  means  the  nations  that  were  in  good  of  charity  to- 
wards the  neighbor  ;  "the  man  wounded  by  thieves"  means  those 
who  are  infested  by  those  from  hell,  who  are  thieves  because 
they  injure  and  destroy  man's  spiritual  life;  the  "oil  and  wine" 
that  he  poured  into  his  wounds  mean  things  spiritual  that  heal 
man,  "oil"  good,  and  "wine"  truth;  that  "he  set  him  on  his 
own  beast"  signifies  that  he  did  this  according  to  his  intelligence 
so  far  as  he  was  able,  "horse,"  and  likewise  "beast  of  burden," 
signifying  the  intellect ;  that  "  he  brought  him  to  an  inn  and  told 
them  to  care  for  him  "  signifies  to  bring  to  those  that  are  well 
instru<5ted  in  the  do6lrine  of  the  church  from  the  Word,  and  who 
are  better  able  to  heal  him  than  one  who  is  still  in  ignorance. 
Thus  are  these  words  understood  in  heaven,  and  from  them  it  is 
evident  that  the  Lord  when  he  was  in  the  world  spake  by  pure 
correspondences,  thus  for  the  world  and  for  heaven  at  the  same 
time.  [43.]  Because  "oil"  signified  good  of  love  and  charity, 
and  by  this  those  are  healed  who  are  spiritually  sick,  it  is  said  of 
the  Lord's  disciples, 

That  they  anointed  many  with  oil   and  healed  them  {Mark  vi.  13). 

(Furthermore,  what  is  specially  signified  by  "  the  oil  prepared  for  the  lamps,"  and  what 
by  "the  oil  prepared  for  anointings"  see  A.C.,  n.  9778-9789,  and  n.  10250-10288, 

where  they  are  explained.)  From  all  this  it  can  now  be  seen  that  "oil" 
signifies  celestial  good  and  spiritual  good,  that  is,  good  of  love 
to  the  Lord,  and  good  of  charity  towards  the  neighbor;  "the 
oil  of  anointing"  good  of  love  to  the  Lord  from  the  Lord,  and 


766  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

"oil  for  tlie  lamps"  good  of  charity  towards  the  neighbor  from 
the  Lord. 

37^[^*]«  ^t  '^'^^  ^^^^^  ^^^  been  shown  that  "oil"  signifies 
celestial  good,  which  is  good  of  love  to  the  Lord  ;  it  shall  now  be 
shown  that  "  wine"  signifies  spiritual  good,  which  is  good  of  char- 
ity towards  the  neighbor  and  good  of  faith  ;  and  as  this  good  in  its 
essence  is  truth,  it  is  said  in  the  general  explanation  that  "the  oil 
and  the  wine  hurt  thou  not,"  which  signifies  that  there  must  no 
harm  be  done  to  the  internal  or  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word  in  respecfl 
either  to  good  or  to  truth,  or  what  is  the  same,  that  there  must  no 
harm  be  done  to  the  goods  and  truths  of  the  internal  or  spiritual 
sense  of  the  Word.  The  good  of  charity  and  the  good  of  faith 
in  their  essence  are  truth,  because  that  good  is  implanted  by  the 
Lord  in  man's  intelle6tual  part  by  means  of  truths  that  are  called 
truths  of  faith,  and  when  man  lives  according  to  these  truths  they 
become  goods  ;  for  by  means  of  truths  a  new  will  is  formed  in 
that  part,  and  whatever  goes  forth  from  the  will  is  called  good. 
This  will,  moreover,  is  the  same  as  conscience,  and  conscience  is 
a  conscience  of  truth,  for  it  is  formed  by  truths  of  every  kind  from 
the  do6lrine  of  the  church,  and  from  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the 

Word  (but  on  thissubjedt  see  further  in  Do^rlne  of  the  Neivyerusakin,  n.  130-138  ; 
and  the  extradls  from  the  Arcana  CaelesHa,  in  n.  139-141).       From    this    it   is 

that  "wine"  signifies  truth.  [2-1  Furthermore,  there  are  goods 
and  truths  internal  and  external ;  internal  goods  and  truths  are 
signified  by  "the  oil  and  the  wine  "that  must  not  be  hurt;  but 
external  goods  and  truths  are  signified  bv  "wheat  and  barley." 
External  goods  and  truths  are  those  that  are  in  the  sense  of  the 
letter  of  the  Word,  while  internal  goods  and  truths  are  those  that 
are  in  the  internal  or  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word  ;  or  external 
goods  and  truths  are  such  as  are  in  the  lower  heavens  with  the 
angels  there,  that  is,  in  the  lowest  parts  of  heaven,  while  internal 
goods  and  truths  are  such  as  are  in  the  higher  heavens  with  t"he 
angels  there,  that  is,  in  the  third  and  second  hea\ens.  These  goods 
and  truths  are  genuine  goods  and  truths  themselves,  but  the  former 
are  truths,  and  goods  because  thev  correspond,  thus  are  corre- 
spondences ;  internal  goods  and  truths  have  immediate  communi- 
cation with  the  angels  of  heaven,  while  external  goods  and  truths 
have  not  an  immediate  but  a  mediate  communication  through  cor- 
respondences. This  is  why  the  Jews,  because  they  were  only  in 
the  sense  of  the  letter  and  had  no  knowledge  of  the  signification 
of  things  in  the  spiritual  sense,  were  unable  to  do  harm  to  the  spir- 
tual  sense  in  respe6l  either  to  good  or  to  truth,  and  consequently 


CHAP.    VI.,   VERSE    6. — N.   376[a].  767 

were  unable  to  do  harm  to  genuine  goods  and  truths.  So  tin- 
Christian  church  at  this  day  is  unable  to  do  harm  to  the  genuine 
goods  and  truths  of  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word,  for  it  has  been 
ignonint  of  that  sense,  and  at  the  same  time  ignorant  of  genuine 
goods  and  truths.  [3.]  The  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word  has  not 
been  disclosed  to  Christians,  because  genuine  goods  and  truths, 
such  as  are  in  the  higher  heavens,  lie  concealed  in  the  spiritual 
sense  of  the  Word  ;  and  so  long  as  these  goods  and  truths  were 
unpercei\ed  and  unknown  that  sense  could  not  be  opened,  since 
these  goods  and  truths  could  not  be  seen.  In  the  Christian 
churches  genuine  goods  and  truths  ha\e  been  unperceived  and 
unknown  for  the  reason  that  those  churches  have  been  divided,  in 
general,  into  the  Papal  and  the  E\'angelical ;  and  those  in  the 
Papal  church  are  utterly  ignorant  of  truths,  because  they  do  not 
depend  upon  the  Word,  thus  upon  the  Lord  who  is  the  Word, 
that  is,  Divine  truth,  but  upon  the  pope,  from  whose  mouth 
scarcely  anything  goes  forth  except  what  is  from  a  love  of  ruling, 
and  that  love  is  from  hell ;  therefore  with  them  scarce!}'  a  single 
truth  of  the  church  exists ;  while  in  the  Evangelical  churches 
faith  alone  has  been  assumed  as  the  essential  means  of  salvation, 
and  as  a  consequence  the  good  of  love  and  charity  has  been  re- 
jedled  as  non-essential,  and  where  good  is  rejected  no  truth  which 
is  truth  in  itself  can  exist,  since  all  truth  is  from  good  ;  for  the 
Lord  flows  into  man's  good,  and  by  means  of  good  enlightens  him 
and  gives  him  the  light  to  perceive  truths,  therefore  without  that 
light,  which  is  man's  very  spiritual  life,  there  is  no  truth,  howe\'er 
much  it  may  sound  like  truth  because  it  is  from  the  Word  ;  it  is 
truth  falsified  by  the  ideas  that  are  held  in  respedt  to  it ;  for  from 
fiith  separate  from  chanty,  or  from  truths  without  good,  no  other 
result  can  follow.  This  is  why  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word 
could  not  be  disclosed  to  the  Christian  churches,  for  if  it  had  been 
disclosed,  they  would  have  falsified  and  perverted  it  by  ideas  from 
fallacies,  and  thus  would  have  profaned  it.  This  is  why,  also,  no 
one  will  anywhere  hereafter  be  admitted  into  the  spiritual  sense  of 
the  Word  unless  he  is  in  genuine  truths  from  good,  and  no  one 
can  be  in  genuine  truths  from  good  unless  in  heart  he  acknow- 
ledges the  Lord  alone  as  the  God  of  heaven  and  earth,  for  from 
Him  is  ever}'  good  and  thus  every  truth.  The  spiritual  sense  of 
the  Word  is  at  this  day  opened,  and  therewith  also  genuine  truths 
and  goods  are  disclosed,  because  the  last  judgment  has  been  ac- 
complished by  the  Lord,  and  thus  all  things  in  the  heavens  and  in 
the  hells  have  been  reduced  to  order  ;  and  for  this  reason  it  can  be 
provided  by  the  Lord  that  no  harm  be  done  to  genuine  truths  and 


768  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

goods,  which  are  in  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word,  and  thi . 
could  not  have  been  provided  before  (see  Last  judgment,  n.  73). 

[6.]  [4.]  That  "wine"  signifies  spiritual  good,  that  is,  good 
of  charity  and  good  of  faith,  which  in  its  essence  is  truth,  can  be 
seen  from  the  following  passages  in  the  Word.     In  Isaiah: 

"  Ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  waters  ;  and  he  that  hath 
no  silver,  come  ye,  buy  and  eat ;. . .  .buy  wine  and  milk  without 
silver  and  without  price  "  (Iv.  1). 

Any  one  can  see  that  this  does  not  mean  that  wine  and  milk 
may  be  bought  without  silver,  "  wine  and  milk"  therefore  signify 
things  spiritual,  namely,  "wine"  spiritual  good,  which  in  its  es- 
sence is  truth,  as  was  said  above,  and  'milk"  the  good  of  that 
truth.  That  these  are  given  by  the  Lord  freely  to  those  who  are 
ignorant  of  truth  and  good,  and  yet  in  a  desire  for  these,  is  signi- 
fied by  "  he  that  hath  no  silver,  come  ye,  buy,  and  eat ;  buy  with- 
out silver,"  "to  buy"  signifies  to  acquire  for  oneself,  and  "to 
eat"  signifies  to  make  one's  own,  which  is  done  by  application  as 
if  of  oneself  Those  who  are  ignorant  of  truth  and  good,  and 
yet  are  in  a  desire  for  them,  are  evidently  meant,  for  it  is  said, 
"Ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  waters,"  "to 
thirst"  signifying  to  desire,  and  "waters"  signifying  truths,  here 
the  Word  where  truths  are.     [5.]    In  yoe/ : 

"  It  shall  come  to  pass  in  that  day,  the  mountains  shall  drop  down  new 
wine,  and  the  hills  shall  flow  with  milk ;  all  the  brooks  of  Judah 
shall  flow  with  waters"  (iii.  iS). 

This  treats  of  the  Lord's  coming,  and  of  a  new  heaven  and 
a  new  church  from  Him.  It  is  well  known  that  the  mountains 
in  the  land  of  Canaan,  or  in  Judea,  did  not  then  drop  down 
new  wine,  nor  the  hills  flow  with  milk,  nor  the  brooks  of  Judah 
flow  with  waters  more  than  before,  therefore  these  words  must 
mean  something  else  than  new  wine,  milk,  and  waters,  or  than 
mountains,  hills,  and  brooks,  namely,  "that  the  mountains  shall 
drop  down  new  wine  (w«j/«;«)"  or  wine  {vimtm),  means  that  from 
the  good  of  love  to  the  Lord  there  shall  be  all  genuine  truth  ; 
"the  hills  shall  flow  with  milk"  means  that  from  the  good 
of  charity  towards  the  neighbor  there  shall  be  spiritual  life ; 
and  "all  the  brooks  of  Judah  shall  flow  with  waters"  means 
that  from  all  the  particulars  of  the  Word  there  shall  be  truths. 

(That  "  Judah"  signifies  the  Lord's  celestial  kingdom,  also  the  Word,  see  A.C., 
n.  3881,6363;  therefore  "  its  brooks"  signify  the  particulars  of  the  Word;  that 
"  mountains"  signify  good  of  love  to  the  Lord,  see  n.  795,  4210,  6435,  8327,  8758, 
10438,  10608;  nnd  "liills  "  good  of  charity  towards  the  neighbor,  n.  6435,  10438; 
aad    iliis  be:a',:se  in  heaven  those   who  are  in    good   of   love   to    the   Lord  dwell 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE   6. — N.   376[f].  769 

upon  mountains,  and  those  who  are  in  good  of  charity  towards  the  neighbor  dwell 
upon  hills,  n.  10438;    and  Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  188.)       [6.]     In  AmoS  : 

"Behold  the  days  come,.  that  the  ploughman  shall  overtake  the 
reaper,  and  the  treader  of  grapes  him  that  soweth  seed  ;  and  the 
mountains  shall  drop  down  new  wine,  and  all  the  hills  shall  melt. 
I  will  bring  again  the  captivity  of  My  people  Israel,  and  they  shall 
build  the  waste  cities  ;  and  they  shall  inhabit  them,  and  they  shall 
plant  vineyards  and  drink  the  wine  thereof,  they  shall  also  make 
gardens  and  eat  the  fruit  of  them.  Then  will  I  plant  them  upon 
their  land  "  (ix.  13-15). 

This  chapter  treats  first  of  the  vastation  of  the  church,  and  then 
of  its  restoration  by  the  Lord;  and  "the  people  Israel"  do  not 
mean  that  people,  but  those  with  whom  the  church  was  to  be 
established  ;  and  "the  ploughman  shall  overtake  the  reaper,  and 
the  treader  of  grapes  him  that  soweth  the  seed,"  signifies  that  he 
who  receives  good  and  truth  shall  also  perform  uses,  that  is,  bear 
fruit,  thus  that  with  the  man  of  the  church  there  shall  be  receiv- 
ing and  doing  at  the  same  time  ;  "  the  mountains  shall  drop  down 
new  wine,  and  all  the  hills  shall  melt,"  signifies,  as  above,  that 
irom  the  good  of  love  to  the  Lord  and  from  the  good  of  charity 
towards  the  neighbor  there  shall  be  truths  in  abundance,  "new 
wine"  here,  or  "wine,"  meaning  truth  ;  that  "the  captivity  of  the 
people  Israel  shall  be  brought  again"  signifies  the  restoration  of 
the  chinch  among  the  nations,  lor  "  captivity  "  means  spiritual  cap- 
tivity, m  which  those  are  who  are  remote  from  goods  and  truths, 
and  yet  in  a  desire  for  them  (see. -i.e.,  n.  9164).  "  The  waste  cities  that 
they  shall  build  "  signify  do6trinals  of  truth  and  good  from  the 
Word,  before  destroyed  and  at  that  time  to  be  restored;  "the 
vineyards"  which  they  shall  plant,  and  "the  wine"  of  which  they 
shall  drink,  signify  all  things  of  the  church  from  which  is  intelli- 
gence, "a  vineyard"  signifies  the  spiritual  church,  and  therefore 
"  vineyards  "  signify  all  things  of  the  church  ;  "  wine  "  signifies  the 
truth  of  the  church  in  general,  and  "to  drink  it"  signifies  to  be 
instructed  and  become  intelligent,  thus  intelligence;  and  "the 
gardens"  which  they  shall  make,  and  the  fruit  of  which  they  shall 
eat,  signifies  wisdom,  "gardens"  meaning  all  things  of  intelligence, 
and  their  "fruit"  signifying  goods  of  life,  thus  "to  eat  their  fruit" 
signifies  appropriation  of  good,  thus  wisdom,  for  wisdom  comes 
when  truths  are  committed  to  the  life  ;  and  because  this  is  what  is 
meant,  it  is  said  of  Israel,  "I  will  plant  them  upon  their  land." 
[C]   [7.1  In  Moses  : 

"  He  bindeth  his  foal  to  the  vine,  the  son  of  his  she-ass  unto  the  choice 
vine ;  he  washeth  his  clothing  in  wine,  and  his  garment  in  the 
blood  of  the  grapes.  His  eyes  are  red  with  wine,  and  his  teeth 
whii'e  with  milk"(f/';7;    \li\.  -i,  12). 


770  APOCAI.VPSF.    KXPI.AINKO. 

This  is  in  the  pr()j)hfcy  of  Israel  the  father  respet'-ting  Jiulah,  hv 
whom  here  Judah  is  not  meant,  but  the  Lord  in  relation  to  the 
celestial  kingdom;  and  "wine"  and  "blood  of  grapes"  mean  the 

Divine  truth.  ( Wh;it  the  rest  signifies,  and  that  "  wine  "  signifies  Divine  truth, 
because  this  has  reference  to  the  Lorri.  see  A.C.,  n.  6375-6381.)       [8.]     In    the 

same, 

Jacob  brought  of  his  venison  to  his  father  Isaac,  "and  he  did  cat  ;  and 
he  brought  him  wine,  and  he  drank."    And  Isaac  blessed  him,  say-  ' 
ing,  "  God  give  thee  of  the  dew  of  heaven,  and  of  the  fatnesses  of 
the  earth,  and  plenty  of  corn  and  new  wine  "  {Gen.  xxvii.  25,  27,  28, 
37). 

Those  who  do  not  know  that  the  Word  is  spiritual  in  every  par- 
ticular may  suppose  that  by  "Isaac"  here  is  meant  Isaac,  and  by 
"  Jacob"  Jacob,  and  therefore  that  by  "the  fatnesses  of  the  earth,"" 
and  "the  corn  and  new  wine,"  no  deeper  things  are  meant;  but 
"Isaac"  here  represents  the  Lord,  and  "Jacob"  the  church;  so 
"fatnesses  of  the  earth"  mean  the  celestial  things  that  are  of  the 
good  of  love  :  and  "corn  and  new  wine"  every  good  and  truth  of 

the  church.    (But  tliese  words  may  be  seen  further  explained  in  .-LC.  n.  3570,  3579, 

3580.)     [9.]    In  the  same, 

"If  ye  shall  have  hearkened  to  My  commandments, ....  I  will  give  rain 
to  your  land  in  its  season,  the  former  rain  and  the  latter  rain  ;  and 
thou  shalt  gather  in  thy  corn,  and  thy  new  wine,  and  thine  oil  " 
{Deut.  xi.  13,  14). 

These  blessings  of  the  earth  were  promised  to  the  sons  of  Israel 
if  they  would  hear  and  do  the  commandments  of  Jehovah,  and  the 
blessings  followed  because  with  them  the  church  was  representa- 
tive, and  the  things  that  were  said  and  commanded  by  Jehovah 
corresponded  to  things  spiritual,  thus  the  blessings  of  the  earth  to- 
the  blessings  of  heaven.  The  blessings  of  heaven,  to  which  the 
blessings  of  the  earth  correspond,  all  have  reference  to  the  things 
that  are  of  the  good  of  love  and  truth  of  faith  ;  these  blessings  there- 
fore are  signified  by  "the  former  rain  and  the  latter  rain,"  for 
"rain"  in  particular  signifies  Divine  truth  flowing  in  out  of  heaven,^ 
from  which  all  things  of  the  church  and  heaven  with  man  are  born 
grow,  and  are  brought  forth  ;  therefore  "the  corn,  new  wine,  and 
oil,"  which  they  should  gather  in,  signify  every  good  and  truth 
of  the  external  and  internal  man.     [lO.]    In  the  same, 

"Thus  Israel  dwelt  securely,  alone  by  the  fountain  of  Jacob,  in  a  land 
of  corn  and  new  wine  ;  yea,  his  heavens  shall  drop  down  dew" 
{Detit.  xxxiii.  28). 

This  was  the  conclusion  of  the  blessings  that  Moses  pronounced 
on  the  sons  of  Israel,  which  were  all  prophetical,  and  every  son 
or  everv  tribe  of  Israel  signified  something  of  the  church  (as  in 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE  6. — N.  376[^].  77 1 

Ge7i.  -xlix.)  ;  and  here  "  Israel "  signifies  the  church  itself;  and  "  to 
dwell  securely,  alone  by  the  fountain  of  Jacob,"  signifies  to  live 
without  infestation  from  e\ils  and  falsities,  and  to  be  led  by  the 
Lord  alone  through  Divine  truth,  "fountain  of  Jacob"  meaning 
Divine  truth  and  the  Word  ;  and  "to  live  in  a  land  of  corn  and 
new  wine"  signifies  in  every  good  and  truth  of  the  church  ;  and 
■"yea,  his  heavens  shall  drop  down  dew,"  signifies  influx  out  ol 
heaven.     [II.]    In  the  same, 

"  He  made  him  ride  upon  the  high  places  of  the  earth,"  ....  and  gave  him 
"butter  of  the  herd,  and  milli  of  the  flock,  with  the  fat  of  lambs, 
and  of  rams  of  the  sons  of  Bashan,  and  of  goats,  with  the  fat  of 
kidneys  of  wheat ;  and  thou  drinkest  the  blood  of  the  grape,  pure 
wine"  (Deut.  xxxii.  13,  14). 

These  things  are  said  of  the  Ancient  church,  which  was  the  church 
previous  to  the  Israelitish  church,  and  was  in  good  of  charity 
and  in  truths  of  faith.  The  goods  of  every  kind,  in  which  it  was, 
are  meant  by  these  things,  namely,  "butter  of  the  herd,"  "milk 
of  the  flock,"  "the  fat  of  lambs,"  "the  fat  of  rams,"  "the  fat  of 
goats,"  "the  fat  of  kidneys  of  wheat;"  and  spiritual  truths  are 
meant  by  "the  blood  of  the  grape"  and  "pure  wine."  [12.]  In 
jfcremiah  : 

"They  shall  come  and  sing  in  the  height  of  Zion,  and  shall  flow  together 
unto  the  good  of  Jehovah,  to  the  wheat,  and  to  the  new  wine,  and  to 
the  oil,  and  to  the  sons  of  the  flock  and  of  the  herd  "  (xxxi.  12). 

*' Wheat,"  "new  wine,"  and  "oil,"  signify  goods  and  truths  of 

everv  kind  (what  these  mean  in  particular,  see  above,  n.  374).       In  IsUJah  : 

"  Jehovah  hath  sworn  by  His  right  hand,  and  by  the  arm  of  His  strength, 
Surely  I  will  no  longer  give  thy  corn  to  be  food  for  thine  enemies, 
and  the  sons  of  the  stranger  shall  not  drink  thy  new  wine  for 
which  thou  hast  labored ;  but  they  that  gather  it  shall  eat  it  and 
praise  Jehovah,  and  they  that  bring  it  together  shall  drink  it  in 
the  courts  of  holiness"  (Ixii.  8,  g). 

This  is  said  of  Jerusalem,  which  signifies  the  church  in  relation  to 
doflrine  ;  therefore  "  the  corn  that  shall  no  longer  be  given  as 
food  for  the  enemies,  and  new  wine  that  the  sons  of  the  strang- 
er shall  not  drink,"  signify  in  general  the  good  and  truth  of  the 
church,  which  shall  no  longer  be  consumed  by  evils  and  falsities, 
"  enemies  "  here  meaning  evils,  and  "  sons  of  the  stranger  "  falsities, 
and  "to  eat,"  or  "to  have  food  given  them,"  and  "to  drink," 
mean  to  consume.  That  goods  and  truths  will  remain  with  those 
who  receive  them,  and  thus  make  use  of  them,  is  signified  by  "  they 
that  gather  it  shall  eat  it,"  and  "they  that  bring  it  together  shall 
drink  it;"  worship  from  these  is  signified  by  "  praising  Jehovah," 
and  "drinking  in  the  courts  of  holiness."     [13.]    In  the  same. 


772 


APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 


"  loy  is  taken  away,  and  exultation  from  Carmel ;  and  in  the  vineyards 
there  is  no  singing,  no  shouting  for  joy  ;  the  treader  treadeth  not 
out  the  wine  in  the  wine-presses  ;  I  have  made  the  vintage-shout- 
ing to  cease  "  (xvi.  lo). 

This  describes  the  taking-  away  of  the  heavenly  enjoyment  that  is 
from  good  and  its  truths,  because  good  and  truth  itself  is  taken 
away  ;  the  good  of  the  church  is  meant  by  "  Carmel,"  and  its 
truths  by  "vineyards"  and  by  "treading  out  the  wine  in  the  wine- 
presses ;"  the  enjoyments  thereof  that  are  taken  away  are  meant  by 
"joy,"  "exultation,"  "singing,"  "shouting,"  and  "vintage-shout- 
ing," for  it  was  a  custom  to  sing  in  the  vineyards,  and  in  the  wine- 
presses when  the  grape  was  trodden  into  wine,  that  enjoyments 
from  truths,  which  were  signified  by  "  wine,"  might  be  represented. 
[14.]    In  yeremiah  : 

"  With  more  than  the  weeping  of  Jazer  I  will  weep  for  thee,  O  vine  of 
Sibmah  ;  thy  shoots  are  gone  over  the  sea,  they  reach  even  to  the 
sea  of  Jazer :  upon  thy  autumn  fruits,  and  upon  thy  vintage  the 
spoiler  is  fallen.  Whence  gladness  and  joy  is  gathered  out  of  Car- 
mel, and  out  of  the  land  of  Moab ;  and  I  have  caused  the  wine  to 
cease  in  the  wine-presses ;  none  shall  tread  with  shouting  ;  their 
shouting  shall  be  no  shouting"  (xlviii.  32,  33). 

This  treats  also  of  the  taking  away  of  the  heavenly  enjoyment  that 
is  from  the  good  of  love  and  its  truths,  for  all  heavenly  enjoyment 
is  in  these  and  from  these.  Lamentation  over  it  is  meant  by 
"weeping  {jlere jletem)  •"  deprivation  of  it  is  meant  by  "gladness 
and  joy  is  gathered  out  of  Carmel,"  likewise  by  "the  spoiler  fall- 
ing upon  it,"  "the  wine  failing,"  and  "the  shouting  being  no 
shouting  ;"  the  good  that  was  taken  away,  for  which  there  was 
lamentation,  is  meant  by  "  the  autumn  fruits  ;"  and  the  truths  of 
good  that  were  taken  away  are  meant  by  "the  vintage,"  and  by 
"the  wine  in  the  wine-presses."  That  truths  were  banished,  and 
that  they  perished  through  knowledges  {sdentlfica)  is  meant  by  "the 
vine  of  Sibmah,"  and  by  its  "shoots  that  have  gone  over  the 
sea,  even  to  the  sea  of  Jazer,"  "  sea  "  signifying  the  knowing  faculty 
{s^ientificiim).     [15.]    Xw  Lamentations : 

"  The  infant  and  the  suckling  faint  in  the  streets  of  the  city.  They  say 
to  their  mothers,  Where  is  the  corn  and  the  wine?  when  they  faint 
as  one  pierced  in  the  streets  of  the  city,  when  their  soul  is  poured 
out  upon  their  mother's  bosom"  (ii.  11,  12). 

These  words  contain  a  lamentation  over  the  Jewish  church,  that 
every  good  and  truth  thereof  has  perished ;  and  the  lamentation 
is  described  by  "  the  infant  and  the  suckling  who  faint  in  the  streets 
of  the  city,  and  say  to  their  mothers,  Where  is  the  corn  and  the 
■wine?"  "infant  and  the  suckling"  signify  those  who  are  in  the 
good  of  innocence,  and  in  an  abstra6i:  sense,  the  good  of  innocence 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE  6.— N.  376[a'].  773 

itself;  by  this  good  every  good  of  the  church  is  meant,  since  it  is 

the  essential  of  all   its  goods  (see  Heaven  and  licit,  n.  276-283,  285,  288, 

341,  382).  "The  streets  of  the  city"  signify  truths  of  doctrine; 
"mothers"  all  things  of  tlie  church;  "corn  and  wine"  all  the 
good  and  truth  of  the  church  in  general.  It  is  said  that  "they 
faint  as  one  pierced  in  the  streets  of  the  city,  when  their  soul  is 
poured  out  upon  their  mother's  bosom,"  because  "one  pierced" 
signifies  those  who  perish  spiritually  from  deprivation  of  truth, 

and  "  soul  "  signifies  spiritual  life.  (That  "  the  streets  of  the  city,"  in  v\  hich 
tliey  faint,  signify  truths  of  docitrinc.  see  A.C.,  n.  2336  ;  .ind  that  "  the  mother,"  into 
whose  bosom  the  soul  is  poiiretl  i>ut,  signifies  the  church,  n.  2691,  2717,  3703,  4257, 

5581,8897.)     [16.]    \vi  Zephaniah  : 

"  Theii  wealth  shall  be  for  a  prey,  and  their  houses  for  a  desolation,  that 
they  may  build  houses  but  not  inhabit  them,  and  plant  vineyards 
but  not  drink  the  wine  thereof"  (i.  13). 

The  "wealth"  that  shall  be  for  a  prey  signifies  spiritual  wealth, 
which  is  knowledges  of  good  and  truth  ;  the  "houses"  that  shall 
be  for  a  desolation  signify  things  of  the  church  in  man  ;  that  from 
these  w^hen  devastated  one  profits  nothing  and  receives  nothing, 
even  though  he  listens  to  them,  and  sees  them  in  the  Word,  is 
signified  by  "  building  and  not  'nhabiting,  and  planting  vineyards 
and  not  drinking  the  wine  thereof,"  "houses"  meaning  the  goods 
of  the  church,  and  "vineyards"  with  "wine"  its  truths, 
[fl.]    [17.]    Like  things  are  meant  in  Micah  : 

"Thou  shalt  sow  but  shalt  not  reap  ;  thou  shalt  tread  the  olive  but  shalt 
not  anoint  thee  with  oil,  and  new  wine  but  shall  not  drink  wine  " 
(vi.  15). 

In  Amos :  y 

"Vineyards  of  desire  shall  ye  plant,  but  ye  shall  not  drink  the  wine  of 
them  "  (v.  11). 

Ami  in  Ho  sea: 

The  "threshing  floor  and  the  wine  press  shall  not  feed  them,  and  the 

new  wine  shall   promise  them  falsely Thej'  shall  not  make 

wine  offerings  to  Jehovah,  and  these  shall  not  be  pleasing  unto 
Him  '  (ix.  2,  4). 

The  "threshing  floor  and  wine  press"  signify  the  same  as  "corn 
and  wine,"  because  corn  and  wine  are  there  collected  ;  that  one 
will  not  profit  by  what  he  hears  is  signified  by  "thev  shall  not  feed 
them,  and  the  new  wine  shall  promise  them  falsely  ;"  and  that 
such  worship  is  not  therefore  accepted  is  signified  bv  "the\'  shall 
not  make  wine  offerings  to  Jehovah,  and  these  (that  is,  the  offer- 
ings) shall  not  be  pleasing  unto  Him."     [18.]    In   ^oel : 

"Awake,  ye  drunkards,  and  weep;  and  howl,  all  ye  drinkers  of  wine, 
because  of  the  new  wine  which  is  cut  off  from  your  mouth 


774  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

The  field  was  wasted,  the  land  muurned,  for  the  corn  was  wasted, 
the  new  wine  was  dried  up,  the  oil  languishes  ;  the  husbandmen 
were  ashamed;  the  vinedressers  howled"  (i.  5,  10,  11). 

What  these  words  signify  in  the  spiritual  sense,  may  be  seen  above 
(n.  374[ii]),  where  they  are  explained;  "wine"  and  "new  wine" 
meaning  the  truth  of  the  church,  and  "vinedressers"  those  who 
are  in  truths  and  teach  them.  This  treats  of  a  devastated  church, 
in  whicli  goods  and  truths  have  perished.     [19.]    In  Ezekiel: 

"Damascus  was  thy  trader  in  the  multitude  of  thy  works,  in  the  multi- 
tude of  all  ric-hes,  in  the  wine  of  Heshon  and  the  wool  of  Zachar  " 
(xxvii.  18). 

This  is  said  of  Tyre,  whicli  signifies  the  church  in  relation  to 
knowledges  of  good  and  truth;  and  "Damascus,"  which  was  a 
city  in  Syria,  signifies  the  accordant  knowing  faculty  {scientificum)  ; 
and  the  "tradings"  referred  to  in  this  chapter  signif}'^  the  acquisi- 
tion and  communication  and  also  the  use  of  these.  Because 
"Damascus"  signifies  the  accordant  knowing  faculty,  it  is  called  a 
"trader  in  the  multitude  of  all  works  and  riches,"  "works"  by 
which  uses  are  effedled,  signifying  knowledges  of  good,  and  "  rich- 
es" knowledges  of  truth  ;  and  as  knowledges  of  truth  and  good 
are  in  the  natural  man,  for  therein  is  everything  pertaining  to  know- 
ledge and  knowing  that  is  perceptible,  it  is  said  "in  the  wine  of 
Heshon  and  the  wool  of  Zachar,"  "wine  of  Heshon"  signifying 
natural  truth,  and  "  wool  of  Zachar  "  natural  good.   [20.]  In  Isaiah  : 

"A  curse  shall  devour  the  earth  ; . . .  .  the  new  wine  shall  mourn,  the  vine 

shall  languish,  all  the  glad-hearted  shall  sigh They  shall  not 

drink  wine  with  a  song  ;  strong  drink  shall  be  bitter  to  them  that 
drink  it.  The  city  of  emptiness  shall  be  broken  down  ;  every  house 
shall  be  shut,  that  no  one  come  in  "  (xxiv.  6,  7,  9,  10). 

These  words  describe  the  perversion  of  the  church,  which  takes 
place  when  falsity  rules  in  place  of  truth,  whence  there  is  no  longer 
any  good;  for  man  has  good  by  means  of  truths.  "The  earth" 
that  the  curse  will  devour  signifies  the  church,  "curse"  meaning 
its  perversion  ;  the  "new  wine  "that  will  mourn,  and  the  "vine"  that 
will  languish,  signify  all  truth  of  the  church,  "to  mourn"  and  "to 
languish  "  signifving  deprivation  of  it ;  that  there  shall  no  longer 
be  any  heavenlv  enjoyment  and  blessedness  is  signified  by  "all 
the  glad-hearted  shall  sigh,  they  shall  not  drink  wine  with  a  song  ;" 
that  they  shall  turn  awav  from  all  things  that  agree  with  truths  is 
signified  by  "strong  drink  shall  be  bitter  to  them  that  drink  it," 
"strong  drink"  signifying  the  things  that  are  from  truths  and 
agree  with  them.  But  that  the  doctrine  of  falsity  shall  be  de- 
stroyed is  signified  by  "the  city  of  emptiness  shall  be  broken 
down,"  " citv "  meaning  do6lrine,  and  "emptiness"  falsity;    and 


CHAP.   VI.,   VKRSF.    6.       \.  376[r/J.  775 

that  tliere  shall  no  longer  Ix-  anv  goodiu-.ss  or  wi.-tlom  with  man  i- 
signified  by  "  every  house  shall  be  shut,  that  no  onecoine  in,"  ulii(  h 
takes  place  when  there  is  no  truth,  but  only  falsity.   [21.1   In  Amos  : 

"  Who  drink  out  of  bowls  of  wine,  and  anoint  themselves  with  the  first- 
fruits  of  the  oils  ;  but  thev  are  nut  grieved  for  the  breach  of  Joseph  " 
(vi.  6). 

This  and  what  precedes  in  this  chapter  describes  those  who  are 
in  external  worship  without  internal,  such  as  the  jews  were  for- 
merly and  still  are  ;  "  bowls  of  wine  out  of  which  they  drink  " 
are  the  externals  of  truth  from  which  is  worshij) ;  and  the  "first- 
fruits  of  the  oils  with  which  they  anoint  themselves  "  are  the  ex- 
ternals of  good,  from  which  also  is  worship  ;  "Joseph"  signifies 
the  internal  of  the  church  or  its  spiritual ;  not  being  afifecled  be- 
cause this  perishes  is  signified  by  "they  are  not  grie\ed  for  his 

breach."  (That  external  worship  without  internal  is  no  worship,  see  A .C,  n. 
1094,  1 175,  7724  ;  that  the  Jews  were  formerly  and  still  are  in  external  worship  with- 
out internal,  n.  1200,3147,3479,  8871  ;  that  "  Joseph  "  signifies  the  spiritual  church, 
thus  also  the  spiritual  of  the  church,  n.  3969,  3971,  4669,  6417.)        [22.]      In 

Zechariah  : 

"  I  will  render  the  house  of  Judah  powerful,  and  I  will  save  the  house  of 

Joseph ; on  this  account  they  shall  be  as  the  powerful  Ephraim, 

and  their  heart  shall  be  glad  as  if  with  wine  "  (x.  6,  7). 

"  House  of  Judah "  signifies  the  Lord's  celestial  church,  and 
"house  of  Joseph"  the  Lord's  spiritual  church  ;  and  "to  render 
powerful  their  houses"  signifies  to  multiply  with  them  truths  from 
good,  for  all  power  is  of  truth  from  good  ;  therefore  it  is  said, 
"they  shall  be  as  the  powerful  Ephraim,"  "Ephraim"  signifying 
\mderstanding  of  truth  from  good,  which  is  called  powerful  from 
its  multiplication  ;  heavenly  enjoyment  therefrom  is  signified  bv 
"their  heart  shall  be  glad  as  if  with  wine,"  "wine"  meaning  truth 
from  good  from  which  that  enjoyment  comes.     (That  truths  have  all 

power  from  good,  see  Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  228-233  ;  also  above,  n.  209,  333 ;  that 
"Judah"  in  the  Word  signifies  the  Lord's  celestial  kingdom,  A.C.,-a.  3881,6363; 
and  "  Ephraim  "  the  intelledlual  of  the  church,  n.  3069,  5354,  6222,  6234.  6238,  6267, 
6296.)     [23.]    In  Daniel : 

Belshazzar  king  of  Babylon,  and  his  lords,  and  his  wives,  and  his  con- 
cubines, drank  wine  out  of  vessels  of  the  temple  of  Jerusalem,  and 
praised  the  gods  of  gold,  silver,  brass,  iron,  wood,  and  stone. 
Therefore  there  was  written  on  the  wall,  Numbered,  Weighed,  and 
Divided.  And  afterwards  he  [Nebuchadnezzar]  was  driven  out 
from  the  sons  of  man,  and  his  dwelling  was  with  the  wild  asses 
(v.  2-5,  21). 

In  the  internal  sense  this  describes  the  profanation  of  good  and 
truth,  which  also  is  meant  by  "  Babel  "  or  "  Babylon  ;"  for  "  to 
<irink  wine  out  of  the  vessels  of  the  temple  of  Jerusalem  "  signi- 


776  APOCALVi'si;  i.mm.ainkd. 

fies  to  imbibe  the  truths  of  the  cliiinh  from  tlu'  Word,  "  to  (h'ink 
wine"  meaning-  to  imbibe  truths,  and  "the  vessels  of  the  temple 
of  Jerusalem"  meaning  the  truths  that  belong  to  the  do6trine  of 
the  church  from  the  Word;  and  "to  praise  the  gods  of  gold, 
silver,  brass,  iron,  wood,  and  stone,"  signifies  worship  from  love 
of  self  and  the  world  ;  for  these  gods  signify  idolatrous  w  orship 
of  every  kind,  and  profanation  ;  that  it  was  therefore  written  on 
the  wall,  "  Numbered,  Weighed,  Divided,"  signifies  separation 
from  all  things  of  heaven  and  the  church.  That  afterwards  "  the 
king  was  driven  out  from  the  sons  of  man,  and  his  dwelling  was 
with  the  wild  asses,"  signifies  separation  from  all  truth,  and  allot- 
ment of  one's  life  with  the  infernals,  "sons  of  man"  meaning  the 
truths  of  the  church,  "wild  asses"  those  who  are  in  dire  falsities 
like  those  in  the  hells,  and  "dwelling"  meaning  final  allotment 
of  the  life.     [24.]    In  yoe/ : 

"  They  have  cast  lots  upon  My  people  ;  for  they  have  given  a  boy  for  a 
harlot,  and  sold  a  girl  for  wine,  which  they  drank"  (iii.  3). 

"To  cast  lots  upon  the  people"  signifies  to  disperse  the  truths  of 
the  church,  "to  cast  lots"  signifying  to  disperse,  and  "people'* 
signifying  the  church  in  relation  to  truths,  thus  also  the  truths  of 
the  church  ;  "to  give  a  boy  for  a  harlot"  signifies  to  falsify  truth, 
"boy  "  meaning  the  truth  of  the  church,  and  "  harlot"  falsity  ;  and 
"to  sell  a  girl  for  wine,  which  they  drank,"  signifies  to  pen'ert  the 
good  of  the  church  by  truth  falsified,  "girl"  meaning  the  good  of 
the  church,  and  "wine"  truth  falsified. 

[c]  [25.]  Because  "wine"  signified  the  truth  of  the  church 
that  is  from  good,  it  was  commanded  that,  with  the  sacrifices  upon 
the  altar,  a  meal-offering  and  a  drink-offering  should  be  offered, 
and  the  meal-offering  was  bread,  and  the  drink-offering  wine ; 
these  signified  worship  of  the  Lord  from  good  of  lo\  e,  and  from 
truths  therefrom  ;  for  all  worship  is  from  these. 

(On  the  drink-offerings,  the  portions  of  wine  in  them  at  the  different 
sacrifices,  see  Exod.  xxix.  40,  41  ;  Lev.  xxiii.  13,  18  ;  Num.  vi.  1-4, 
15,  17  ;  XV.  4-7,  10,  24;  xxviii.  7-10,  24,  31  ;  xxix.  6,  11,  16,  19,  22, 
25,  27,  28,  31,  34,  38,  39';  and  Gen.  xxxv.  14.) 

This  makes  clear  what  is  signified  in  yoel: 

"The  meal-offering  and  the  drink-offering  was  cut  off  from  the  house 
of  Jehovah ;    the  priests,  the  ministers  (of  the  altar),  mourned " 

(i.9); 

namely,  that  worship  from  good  of  love,  and  from  truths  there- 
from, had  perished.  Who  cannot  see  that  the  meal-offering  and 
drink-offering,  which  were  bread  and  wine,  could  not  be  pleasing 


CHAP.  VI.,  VKKSE  6. — -X.  376[^].  777 

to  Jehovah  in  worship,  unless  they  had  signified  such  tilings  as  are 
of  heaven  and  the  church  ?  [26.]  F  rem  this  it  can  now  be  seen 
what  the  bread  and  wine  in  the  holy  supper  involve,  namely,  the 
bread,  good  of  love  to  the  Lord  from  the  Lord,  and  the  wine, 
good  of  faith,  which  in  its  essence  is  truth.     (But  on  the  holy  supper 

and  the  bread  and  wine  of  it,  see  Doifirine  of  the  New  yerusalem,  n.  210-222).  Be- 
cause "wine"  signifies  the  good  of  faith,  which  in  its  essence  is 
truth,  when  the  Lord  instituted  the  sacrament  of  the  supper,  He 
said, 

"  I  say  unto  you,  I  will  not  drink  henceforth  of  this  producft  of  the  vine 
until  that  day  when  I  will  drink  it  with  you  new  in  My  Father's 
kingdom"  {Matt.  xxvi.  29). 

"I  say  unto  you,  I  will  not  drink  of  the  produdl  of  the  vine  until  the 
kingdom  of  God  shall  come"  {Luke  xxii.  18). 

"The  product  of  the  vine,"  that  is,  "wine,"  which  the  Lord 
"would  drink  with  them  new  in  His  Father's  kingdom,"  or  "when 
the  kingdom  of  God  should  come,"  means  that  all  Divine  truth  in 
heaven  and  the  church  would  then  be  from  His  Divine  Human  ; 
He  therefore  calls  it  "new,"  and  also  He  calls  it  "the  New  Testa- 
ment in  His  blood"  (verse  20)  ;  for  "the  Lord's  blood"  has  the 
same  signification  as  "  wine  "  (see  above,  n.  30,  328[a-c],  329[(z,3]).  And 
as  e\'ery thing  Divine,  since  the  Lord  has  risen,  goes  forth  from 
Him,  He  says  that  He  will  drink  it  with  them  when  the  kingdom 
of  God  shall  come,  and  it  came  when  He  reduced  all  things  to 
order  in  the  heavens  and  in  the  hells.  That  the  kingdom  of  God 
came  at  the  same  time  with  the  Lord,  and  that  it  is  from  Him  can 
be  seen  from 

Matt.  Hi.  2  ;  iv.  8 ;  x.  7  ;  xii.  28  ;  xvi.  28  ;  Mark  i.  14,  15  ;  ix.  i ;  Luke 
i.  32,  33  ;  ix.  II,  27,  60;  X.  II  ;  xvi.  16 ;  xvii.  20,  21  ;  xxiii.  42,  51  ; 
John  xviii.  36. 

Now,  because  "bread"  signifies  good  of  love,  and  "wine"  good 
of  faith,  which  in  its  essence  is  truth  from  that  good,  and  in  the 
highest  sense,  "bread"  signifies  the  Lord  in  resped  to  Divine 
good,  and  "  wine  "  the  Lord  in  respe6t  to  Divine  truth,  and  because 
there  is  a  correspondence  between  spiritual  things  and  natural, 
(such  a  correspondence  that  when  "bread"  and  "wine"  are  in 
man's  thought,  the  good  of  love  and  the  good  of  faith  are  in  an- 
gel's thoughts,)  and  because  all  things  of  heaven  and  the  church 
have  reference  to  the  good  of  love  and  the  good  of  faith,  the  Lord 
instituted  the  Holy  Supper  in  order  that  by  means  of  it  there 
might  be  a  conjun(5tion  of  the  angels  of  heaven  with  the  men  of 
the  church.  [27.]  Because  such  things  are  meant  by  "bread  and 
wine"  in  heaven, 


778  Ar-.CAi.vrsK  i:\i'i..\inl;l). 

"Melchizcdck,  kiiij;  of  Salcni,"  going  out  to  meet  Abram,  "  Liouglil  for;!! 
bread  and  wine  :  and  he  was  a  priest  to  God  Most  High."  And 
he  blessed  Abram  (Gen.  xiv.  18.  iq). 

Melchizcdck  here  represents  the  Lord  in  relation  to  Divine  g(Kid 
and  in  relation  to  Divine  truth,  as  priest  in  relation  to  Di\ine 
good,  and  as  king-  to  Divine  truth  ;  therefore  he  brought  forth 
bread  and  wine,  "bread"  signifying  Divine  good,  and  "wine'' 
Divine  truth  ;  or  wlien  apj)lied  to  man,  "bread"  signifying  good 
of  love  to  the  Lord,  and  "wine"  good  of  faith,  which  is  from 
a  reception  of  Divine  truth.  [28.]  The  "wine"  spoken  of  by 
the  Lord  in  the  following  passages  has  the  same  signification. 

"They  do  not  put  new  wine  into  old  wine-skins,  else  the  skins  burst, 
and  the  wine  is  spilled  ; . .  .  .but  they  put  [new]  wine  into  fresh  wine- 
skins, and  both  are  preserved"  {Matt.  ix.  17). 

"And  no  man  having  drunk  old  wine  straightway  desireth  new;  for  he 
saith,  The  old  is  more  useful "  {Luke  v.  39). 

This  comparison,  like  all  others  in  the  Word,  is  from  corresj)ond- 
•ences,  "wine"  signifying  truth,  "old  wine"  the  truth  of  the  old 
or  Jewish  church,  and  "wine-skins"  things  that  contain,  "old 
wine-skins"  the  statutes  and  judgments  of  the  Jewish  church,  and 
"fresh  wine-skins"  the  precepts  and  commandments  of  the  Lord. 
That  the  statutes  and  judgments  of  the  Jewish  church,  which  re- 
lated especially  to  sacrifices  and  representative  worship,  are  not 
in  agreement  with  the  truths  of  the  Christian  church  is  meant  by 
"they  do  not  put  new  wine  into  old  wine-skins,  else  the  wine- 
skins burst  and  the  wine  is  spilled ;  but  they  put  [new]  wine  into 
fresh  wine-skins,  and  both  are  preserved  together."  That  those 
who  have  been  born  and  educated  in  the  externals  of  the  Jewish 
•church  cannot  be  brought  immediately  into  the  internals  belong- 
ing to  the  Christian  church  is  signified  by  "no  man  having  drunk 
old  wine  straightway  desireth  new ;  for  he  saith.  The  old  is  more 
useful."  [29.]  The  same  is  signified  by  "the  water  turned  into 
wine"  at  Cana  of  Galilee,  thus  described  in  yoJm  : 

At  the  wedding  in  Cana  of  Galilee,  when  the  wine  failed,  "  there  were 
six  water-pots  of  stone  set  there,  according  to  the  purifying  of  the 

Jews Jesus  said.  Fill  the  water-pots  ;  and  they  filled  them  to 

the  brim.  Then  he  said  unto  them,  Draw  out  now,  and  bear  unto 
the  ruler  of  the  feast ;  and  they  bare  it.  When  the  ruler  of  the 
feast  tasted  the  water  that  was  made  wine,. . .  .he  calleth  the  bride- 
groom, and  saith  unto  him.  Every  man  setteth  on  first  good  wine  ; 
and  when  they  have  had  enough,  the  poorer ;  thou  hast  kept  the 
good  wine  until  now  "  (ii.  i-io). 

It  should  be  known  that  all  the  miracles  performed  by  the  Lord, 
as  well  as  all  the  miracles  by  Him  spoken  of  in  the  Old  Testa- 


CHAP.   VI.,   VERSE   6.— N.  376[^].  779 

ment,  signified,  that  is,  contained  within  them,  sucli  things  as  be- 
long to  heaven  and  the  church,  and  that  consequently  His  mira- 
cles were  Divine  (see.^.C  n.  7337,  8364,  9051).  So  with  this  miracle; 
here,  as  elsewhere  in  the  Word,  "a  wedding"  signifies  the  church, 
"in  Cana  of  Galilee"  means  among  tht-  nations,  "water"  the  truth 
of  the  external  church,  such  as  was  the  truth  of  the  Jev\  ish  church 
from  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word,  and  "wine"  the  truth 
of  the  internal  church,  such  as  is  the  truth  of  the  Christian  church  ; 
therefore  the  Lord's  "making  the  water  wine"  signifies  that 
truths  of  the  external  church  He  will  make  truths  of  the  internal, 
church  by  opening  the  internal  things  that  have  lain  concealed 
in  them.  "  The  six  water-pots  of  stone,  set  there  according  to  the 
purifying  of  the  Jews,"  signify  all  these  truths  in  the  Word,  and. 
thus  in  the  Jewish  church  and  its  worship  ;  these  were  all  represent- 
ative and  significative  of  things  Divine  in  the  Lord  and  from  the 
Lord,  since  they  contained  things  internal.  For  this  reason  there 
were  "  six  water-pots  of  stone,  set  for  the  purifying  of  the  Jews  ;" 
the  number  "  six  "  signifies  all,  and  is  predicated  of  truths  ;  "  stone  " 
signifies  truth,  and  "the  purifying  of  the  Jews"  purification  from 
sins  ;  thus  all  things  of  the  Jewish  church  are  signified  ,  since  the 
church  regards  purification  from  sins  as  its  all,  for  so  far  as  any 
one  is  purified  from  sins,  so  far  he  becomes  a  church.  "The  ruler 
of  the  feast"  means  those  who  are  in  knowledges  of  truth  ;  his 
saying  to  the  bridegroom,  "  Every  man  setteth  on  first  good  wine ; 
and  when  men  have  had  enough,  the  poorer  ;  thou  hast  kept  the 
good  wine  until  now,"  signifies  that  every  church  has  its  begin- 
ning in  truths  from  good,  but  falls  away  into  truths  not  of  good, 
but  that  now,  at  the  end  of  the  church,  truth  from  good,  or  gen- 
uine truth,  is  granted  by  the  Lord.  [30.]  It  is  because  "wine" 
signifies  the  truth  of  the  church,  and  "  oil  "  the  good  of  the  church, 
that  the  Lord  says,  in  the  parable  of  the  man  who  was  wounded 
by  thieves. 

That  the  Samaritan  poured  oil  and  wine  into  his  wounds  {Luke  x.  33, 

34); 

where  "  the  man  wounded  by  thieves  "means  those  who  are  infested 
and  have  their  conscience  hurt  by  evil  men,  who  are  "robbers;" 
and  "  the  Samaritan  "  means  the  nations  that  are  in  good  of  char- 
ity ;  therefore  "his  pouring  into  his  wounds  oil  and  wine"  signi- 
fies the  spiritual  things  that  heal  a  man  thus  injured,  "oil  "  mean- 
ing the  good  of  love,  and  "wine"  the  good  of  faith,  that  is,  truth. 
What  the  rest  signifies,  namely,  "that  he  set  him  on  his  own 
beast,  and  brought  him  to  an  inn,  and  told  them  to  take  care  of 


780  APOCALYPSE    EXPI.AINKO. 

him,"  may  be  seen  above  (n.  SJSL^-.viii.)]),  where  they  are  ex[)hiined. 
That  "wine"  signifies  the  truth  of  the  church  can  be  seen  not 
only  from  the  passages  cited,  but  also  from  others  in  the  Word 

(as  Isa.  i.  21,  22  ;  xxv.  6  ;  xxxvi.  17 ;  IJosea  vii.  4,  5,  14  ;  xiv.  5-7  ;  Amot 
ii.  8 ;  Zech.  ix.  15,  17  ;  Psalm  civ.  14-16). 

[/.]  [31.]  As  most  things  in  the  Word  have  also  a  contrary 
sense,  so,  too,  has  "  wine,"  and  in  that  sense  it  signifies  truth  fals- 
ified, and  also  falsity,  as  in  the  following  passages.     In  Isaiah: 

"Woe  to  the  crown  of  pride,  to  the  drunkards  of  Ephraim,  to  the  flower 
of  his  fading  glory,  which  is  on  the  head  of  the  valley  of  the  fat 
ones  confused  by  wine  ;.  .  .  .the  crown  of  pride,  the  drunkards  of 
Ephraim,  they  shall  be  trodden  under  the  feet ; .  . .  .  these  err  through 
wine,  and  through  strong  drink  they  are  gone  astray  ;  the  priest 
and  the  prophet  err  through  strong  drink,  they  are  swallowed  up 
of  wine,  they  are  gone  astray  through  wine,  they  err  among  the 
seeing,  they  stumble  in  judgment"  (xxviii.  i,  3,  7). 

This  is  said  of  those  who  are  insane  in  things  spiritual  because 
they  believe  themselves  to  be  intelligent  of  themselves,  and. 
glory  in  it ;  the  state  of  such  is  here  described  by  pure  corre- 
spondences ;  those  who  are  insane  in  things  spiritual  or  in  truths 
are  meant  by  "drunkards,"  and*  those  who  thus  believe  them- 
selves intelligent  by  "Ephraim,"  and  hence  glorying  in  intelli- 
gence or  learning  is  meant  by  "  crown  of  pride  ;"  for  those  who 
are  in  falsities  of  do6lrine  and  have  confirmed  themselves  in  them, 
when  they  are  enlightened  and  see  truths,  in  the  other  life  be- 
come like  drunkards.  The  learned  who  have  confirmed  them- 
selves in  falsities  become  such,  and  to  confirm  oneself  in  falsities 
is  to  confirm  from  oneself  and  not  from  the  Lord.  This  makes 
clear  what  is  signified  by  "woe  to  the  crown  of  pride,  to  the 
drunkards  of  Ephraim."  "The  flower  of  fading  glory  that  is  on 
the  head  of  the  valley  of  the  fat  ones  confused  by  wine"  signi- 
fies the  truth  of  the  church  destroyed  in  its  infancy  by  the  glo- 
rying of  the  self-intelligence  that  belongs  to  the  natural  man 
separated  from  the  spiritual,  when  falsity  is  seen  instead  of  truth, 
"flower  of  [fading]  glory  "  meaning  truth  in  its  infancy  declining 
or  perished,  "head  of  the  valley  of  the  fat  ones"  means  the  in- 
telligence of  the  natural  man  ;  "  confused  by  wine"  means  those 
who  see  falsity  in  place  of  truth  ;  "  the  crown  of  pride,  the  drunk- 
ards of  Ephraim,  they  shall  be  trodden  under  the  feet,"  signifies 
that  this  intelligence  shall  utterly  perish ;  "  these  err  through 
wine,  and  through  strong  drink  they  are  gone  astray,"  signifies 
through  falsities  and  through  such  things  as  are  from  falsities ; 
"the  priest  and  the  piophet  err  through  strong  drink,  they  are 


CHAP.  VI.,  VKRSK    6. — N.  376[/].  781 

swallowed  up  of  wine,  they  are  gone  astray  througli  wine,"  signi- 
fies that  such  are  those  who  ought  to  be  in  the  doctrine  of  good 
and  truth,  and  in  a  sense  abstracted  from  persons  that  such  is 
their  doctrine  itself;  "  they  err  among  the  seeing,  they  stumble  in 
judgment,"  signifies  that  they  do  not  see  the  truths  of  intelli- 
gence. That  these  words  have  such  a  signification  no  one  can 
see  except  from  the  spiritual  sense ;  without  that  it  could  not 
be  known  that  "crown"  and  "head"  signify  intelligence,  that 
"  drunkards  "  signify  those  who  are  insane  in  things  spiritual,  that 
"  Ephraim  "  signifies  here  man's  own  understanding,  or  that  which 
is  from  himself,  that  "valley"  signifies  the  lower  things  of  the 
mind,  which  are  natural  and  sensual,  and  that  "priest  and  proph- 
et" signify  the  doClrine  of  good  and  truth.     [32.]    In  the  .same, 

"  Pause  ye,  wonder,  be  astounded,  and  cry  out ;  they  are  drunken,  but 
not  with  wine  ;  they  stagger,  but  not  with  strong  drink  ;  for  Jeho- 
vah hath  poured  out  upon  you  the  spirit  of  deep  sleep,  and  hath 
closed  your  eyes  ;  the  prophets  and  your  heads,  the  seers  hath  he 
covered  "  (xxix.  g,  lo). 

This  is  said  of  those  who  can  see  nothing  of  truth  when  they 
hear  it  or  read  it  from  the  Word  ;  those  who  are  such  are  called 
"  drunken  not  with  wine,"  and  "  they  stagger,  but  not  with  strong 
drink,"  "wine"  signifying  in  particular  the  truth  of  the  spiritual 
and  thus  of  the  rational  man,  and  "strong  drink"  the  truth  of 
the  natural  man  therefrom.  Because  such  are  meant  it  is  said, 
"Jehovah  hath  poured  out  upon  you  the  spirit  of  deep  sleep,  and 
hath  closed  your  eyes,"  "the  spirit  of  deep  sleep"  meaning  no 
perception,  and  the  "eyes  closed"  no  understanding.  "The 
prophets  and  your  heads,  [the  seers]  hath  he  covered,"  signifies 
those  who  were  in  do6lrine  of  truth,  and  were  thus  wise  and  in- 
telligent, "prophets"  signify  those  who  are  in  doctrine  of  truth, 
and  in  an  abstra6t  sense,  do6trine  itself,  "  heads"  signify  the  wise, 
and  in  an  abstraft  sense,  wisdom,  and  "seers"  signify  the  intel- 
ligent, and  in  an  abstra6l  sense,  intelligence.  Wonder  at  such 
gross  stupidity  is  described  by  "  Pause  ye,  wonder,  be  astounded," 
and  lamentation  over  it  by  "cry  out."  Such  are  those  who  are 
in  a  life  of  evil,  and  at  the  same  time  in  principles  of  falsity,  how- 
ever learned  they  are  believed  to  be  ;  for  a  life  of  evil  shuts  out 
the  perception  of  good  by  which  thought  has  life  and  light,  and 
principles  of  falsity  shut  out  understanding  of  truth,  on  which 
accoimt  there  is  vision  from  the  sensual  man  only,  and  none 
whatever  from  the  spiritual.     [33.]    In  the  same, 

"  The  dogs  are  strong  in  appetite,  they  know  not  satiety  ;  and  they  are 
shepherds  who  know  not  to  understand  : .  . .  .  Come,  I  will  take  wine 
and  we  will  be  drunk  with  strong  drink"  (Ivi.  ii,  12). 


782  APOCAI.VPSi:    i;.\I'l.AINKI). 

This  is  said  of  those  who  care  lor  nolhiniL;  but  worklly  aiul  earthly 
tilings,  which  close  the  internal  spiritual  man.  These,  from  hav- 
ing no  perception  of  good  and  no  understanding  of  truth,  are 
called  "dogs  strong  in  appetite,  they  know  not  satiety,"  that  is, 
they  are  unable  to  receive  good,  "to  know"  liere  signifies  to  be 
able,  and  "satiety"  reception  of  good,  for  satiety  is  jjredicated 
of  food,  by  which  spiritual  nourishment  is  signified.  That  they 
have  no  understanding  of  truth  is  meant  by  "they  are  shepherds 
who  know  not  to  understand  ;"  those  are  called  "shepherds"  who 
believe  themselves  able  to  instruct  others,  for  "to  feed"  means 
to  instruct ;  and  because  such  persons  love  falsities  and  things 
falsified,  it  is  added,  "Come,  I  will  take  wine,  and  we  will  be 
drunk  with  strong  drink."      L34.]    In  yeremiali : 

"  Thus  said  Jehovah,  God  of  Israel,  Every  bottle  shall  be  filled  with  wine. 
....  Behold  I  fill  all  the  inhabitants  of  this  land,  and  the  kings  sit- 
ting for  David  upon  his  throne,  and  the  priests,  and  the  prophets, 
all  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem  with  drunkenness"  (xiii.  12,  13). 

Here,  too,  "wine"  signifies  falsity,  and  "every  bottle"  that  shall 
be  filled  with  wine,  signifies  the  mind  of  man,  since  the  mind  is  a 
recipient  of  truth  or  of  falsity,  as  a  bottle  is  of  wine  ;  "the  kings 
sitting  for  David  upon  his  throne"  signify  those  who  would 
otherwise  be  in  Divine  truths,  "priests,"  those  who  would  be  in 
Divine  goods,  "prophets,"  those  who  would  be  in  doctrine,  "the 
inhabitants  of  Jerusalem"  all  who  are  of  the  church;  and  "the 
drunkenness  "  with  which  thev  shall  be  filled,  signifies  insanity  in 
spiritual  things.     [35.]    In  the  same, 

"  I  am  become  like  a  drunkard,  and  like  a  man  into  whom  wine  hath 
entered,  because  of  Jehovah,  and  because  of  the  word  of  His  holi- 
ness.    For  the  land  is  full  of  adulterers  "  (xxiii.  9,  10). 

This  is  a  lamentation  over  the  adulteration  of  good  and  falsifi- 
cation of  truth  in  the  church,  which  is  signified  by  "the  land  is 
full  of  adulterers;"  these  are  meant  by  "adulteries,"  and  the 
church  by  "land."  Insanity  in  spiritual  things  through  reason- 
ings from  evils  against  Dixine  goods  and  from  falsities  against 
Divine  truths,  is  signified  by  "  I  am  become  like  a  drunkard,  and 
like  a  man  into  whom  wine  hath  entered,  because  of  Jehovah  and 
because  of  the  word  of  His  holiness,"  "to  become  like  a  drunk- 
ard and  like  a  man  into  whom  wine  hath  entered,"  signifies  con- 
fusion of  mind  and  insanity  by  reasonings  from  evils  and  falsities, 
"because  of  Jehovah"  signifies  because  of  Divine  goods,  and 
"because  of  the  word  of  His  holiness"  signifies  because  of  Di- 
vine truths.     [36.]    In  Isaiah  : 

"  Hear  now  this,  thou  aflli<fted,  and  drunken  but  not  with  wine  "  (li.  21). 


CHAP.  VI.,   VERSE    6. — N.   376[.^].  783 

The  "drunken  but  not  with  wine"  mean  here  those  who  are  in 
falsities  from  ignorance  of  truth.     That 

Noahdraok  of  the  wine  and  was  drunken,  and  therefore  lay  naked  in 
the  midst  of  his  tent  {Gen.  ix.  21). 

means  in  the  spiritual  sense,  something  entirely  different  from  the 
meaning  in  the  letter ;  likewise 

Lot's  being  made  drunken  by  his  daughters,  and  their  then  lying  with 
him  {Gen.  xix.  32-34). 

What  is  meant  by  the  drunkenness  of  Noah  in  the  spiritual  sense 
may  be  seen  in  the  Arcana  Caelestia  (n,  1070-1081) ;  and  what  by 
the  drunkenness  of  Lot  (n. 2465  at  the  end).  "Drunkenness"  else- 
where in  the  Word  also  signifies  insanity  in  spiritual  things,  and 
falling  into  errors 

(as  Isa.  xix.  11, 12, 14  ;  Jer.  xxv.  27  ;  Joel'i.  5,  6, 7  ;  Jer.  li.  7  ;  Lev.  x.  8, 9). 

[gf«]    [37.]  That  "  wine  "  in  a  contrary  sense  signifies  falsity, 
is  evident  also  in  Isaiah  : 

"Woe  unto  them  that  rise  at  the  dawn  of  the  morning,  that  follow 
strong  drink  ;  to  them  that  tarry  until  twilight  till  wine  inflames 

them But  they  do  not  look  upon  the  work  of  Jehovah,  and 

they  see  not  the  working  of  His  hands Woe  to  the  wise  in 

their  own  eyes,  and  the  intelligent  before  their  own  faces.  Woe 
unto  the  mighty  in  drinking  wine,  and  to  men  of  strength  to  min- 
gle strong  drink"  (v.  11,  12,  21,  22). 

This  is  said  of  those  who  frame  for  themselves  do6lrinals  not  from 
the  Lord,  that  is,  from  Him  out  of  the  Word,  but  from  self-intelli- 
gence, which  consequently  are  mere  falsities.  "  Woe  unto  them 
who  rise  at  the  dawn  of  the  morning,  who  follow  strong  drink, 
to  them  who  tarry  until  twilight  till  wine  inflame  them  ;  but  they 
do  not  look  upon  the  work  of  Jehovah,  and  they  see  not  the 
working-  of  His  hands,"  signifies  therefore  the  perverted  states 
of  those  who  believe  that  they  are  enlightened  of  themselves, 
whence  they  are  in  falsities  of  do6trine,  and  care  not  for  the 
Word,  from  which  they  might  know  goods  and  truths  of  life  and 
of  do6i;rine.  "To  rise  at  the  dawn  of  the  morning,"  and  "to 
tarry  until  twilight"  signifies  to  be  enlightened  :  and  "to  follow 
strong  drink,"  and  "to  be  inflamed  with  wine,"  signifies  to  hatch 
doctrinals  of  themselves  ;  "not  to  look  upon  the  work  of  Jeho- 
vah," and  "not  to  see  the  working  of  His  hands,"  signifies  not  to 
care  for  the  Word,  or  the  goods  of  life  and  truths  of  do6lrine 
there  disclosed  ;  /'  work  of  Jehovah  "  is  predicated  of  goods  of  life, 
and  "  the  workmg  of  His  hands  "  of  truths  of  dod^rine,  both  from 
the  Word ;  because  such  persons  are  meant  it  is  said,  "  Woe  to  the 


APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

wise  in  their  own  eyes,  and  die  intelligent  before  tneir  own  faces," 
"the  wise  in  their  own  eyes"  signifying  those  who  are  wise  from 
their  own  intelligence,  and  "the  intelligent  before  their  own  faces" 
signifying  those  who  are  intelligent  from  their  own  affe6lion, "  eyes  " 
signifying  understanding,  and  "  face  "  affe6lion.  And  "  woe  unto  the 
mightv  in  drinking  wine,  and  to  men  of  strength  to  mingle  strong 
drink,"  signifies  unto  such  as  aspire  after  great  things,  and  are  in- 
genious in  confirming  the  falsities  that  favor  the  loves  of  self  and 
their  own  convi6lions  ;  the  "  mighty  "  are  those  who  aspire  to  great 
things  ;  "  men  of  strength"  those  who  are  ingenious,  and  seem  to 
themselves  to  be  intelligent;  "to  drink  wine"  means  to  imbibe 
falsities,  and  "to  mingle  strong  drink"  means  to  confirm  them. 
Such  are  all  those  who  are  in  the  love  of  self,  and  who  seek  after  a 
reputation  for  learning,  for  such  are  in  what  is  their  own  {in  propria), 
and  cannot  be  elevated  above  it ;  therefore  their  thought  is  in  the 
corporeal  sensual,  by  which  no  truth  is  seen,  and  no  spiritual  good 
is  perceived.  But  those  who  are  not  in  the  love  of  self,  and  who  seek 
intelligence  for  the  sake  of  uses  of  life,  are  raised  up  by  the  Lord 
from  what  is  their  own  (proprium)  into  the  light  of  heaven,  and  though 
not  themselves  aware  of  it,  are  enlightented.    [38.]  In  Hosea;       ^. 

'  Whoredom ....  and  new  wine  have  occupied  the  heart.  My  people 
question  wood,  and  their  staff  answereth  them  ;  for  the  spirit  of 
whoredoms  hath  seduced  them,  and  they  have  committed  whoredom 

under  their  God Ephraim  is  joined  to  idols  : . . . .  their  wine 

is  gone  ;  in  whoring  they  commit  whoredom"  (iv.  ii,  12,  17,  18). 

This  treats  of  those  who  falsify  truths  ;  falsification  of  truth  is  sig- 
nified by  "whoredom,"  and  falsity  therefrom  by  "new  wine." 
This  makes  clear  what  is  signified  by  "  whoredom  and  new  wine 
have  occupied  the  heart ;  the  spirit  of  whoredoms  hath  seduced 
them,  they  have  committed  whoredom  under  their  God,  and  the 
wine  hath  departed,  in  whoring  they  commit  whoredom,"  namely, 
that  such  falsify  Divine  truths,  and  consequently  have  no  truth 
at  all,  "to  commit  whoredom  under  their  God"  signifies  to  falsify 
Divine  truths,  and  "the  wine  hath  departed"  signifies  that  con- 
sequently they  have  no  truth  at  all.  "  Ephraim,"  who  is  joined  to 
idols,  signifies  those  who  are  in  self-intelligence,  and  the  "idols" 
to  which  he  is  joined  signify  falsities  of  religion.  "  My  people 
question  wood,  and  their  staff"  answereth  them,"  signifies  that  they 
consult  their  self-love,  and  cherish  it  from  self-intelligence;  for 
"wood"  or  an  idol  of  wood,  which  they  question,  signifies  self- 
love,  and  "the  staff"  that  answers,  signifies  power  from  what  is 
one's  own  {proprimn),  thus  intelligence.     [39.]   In  the  Apocalypse  : 

"Babylon  is  fallen,  is  fallen,  that  great  city,  because  of  the  wine  of  the 

wrath  of  her  whoredom  she  hath  given  all  nations  to  drink 

If  any  one  worshippeth  the  beast. .  .  .he  shall  drink  of  the  wine 


CHAP.   VI.,  VERSE    6. — N.  376[^].  785 

of  the  wrath  of  God,  whicli  hath  been  mingled  unmixed  in  the  cup 
of  the  wrath  (of  God)  ;  and  he  shall  be  tormented  with  fire  and 
brimstone  "  (xiv.  8-10). 

In  anolhtM-  place, 

"I  will  show  thee  the  judgment  of  the  great  harlot  that  sitteth  upon 
many  waters,  with  whom  the  kings  of  the  earth  committed  whore- 
dom, and  they  that  dwell  in  the  earth  were  made  drunk  with  the 
wine  of  her  whoredom  "  (xvii.  i,  2). 

And  again, 

"For  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  her  whoredom  have  all  nations  drunk, 
and  the  kings  of  the  earth  have  committed  whoredom  with  her" 
(xviii.  3). 

"The  wine  of  the  wrath  of  God"  signifies  falsity  of  evil,  and  "the 
wine  of  whoredom"  signifies  trtith  falsified;  what  the  rest  means 
will  appear  in  the  explanation  of  it,  likewise  what  these  words 
mean  in  the  Apocalypse  : 

"  Babylon  the  great  was  remembered  in  the  sight  of  God,  to  give  unto 
her  the  cup  of  the  wine  of  the  fierceness  of  God's  wrath  "(xvi.  19), 

"the  wine  of  God's  wrath"  having  the  same  meaning  as  "the 
chalice  (or  cup)  of  God's  wrath."     [40.]    In  yeremiah  : 

"  Babylon  hath  been  a  cup  of  gold  in  the  hand  of  Jehovah,  making  the 
whole  earth  drunken  ;  the  nations  have  drunk  of  her  wine,  there- 
fore the  nations  are  mad  "  (li.  7). 

And  in  David  : 

"  There  is  a  cup  in  the  hand  of  Jehovah,  and  He  hath  mixed  the  wine, 
hath  filled  it  with  mixture,  and  hath  poured  it  out ;  but  the  dregs 
of  it  all  the  wicked  of  the  earth  shall  suck  out  and  drink  "  {Psalm 
Ixxv.  8). 

As  the  "meal  offering"  and  "drink  offering,"  which  were  bread 
and  wine,  signify  worship  from  good  of  love  and  truths  of  faith, 
so  in  a  contrary  sense,  the  "meal  offering,"  and  "drink  offering" 
signifv  worship  from  evils  that  are  of  the  love  of  evil,  and  from 
falsities  of  faith;  this  was  signified  by  the  "meal  offering"  and 
"  drink-offering"  that  were  offered  to  idols  and  to  the  gods 

(.Isa.  Ixv.  II  ;  Ivii.  6  ;  Jer.  vii.  18  ;  xliv.  17-19  ;  Ezek.  xx.  28  ;  Deut.  xxxii. 
38  ;  and  elsewhere). 

From  the  signification  of  "  wine"  it  can  be  seen  what  "vineyard," 
"vine,"  its  "branches,"  and  "grapes,"  signify  in  the  Word,  namely, 
that  "a  vineyard"  signifies  a  spiritual  church,  that  is,  a  church  that 
is  in  the  truths  and  goods  of  doctrine  from  the  Word,  "a  \'ine" 
dodlrine  itself,  its  "branches"  truths  from  which  do6lrine  is 
formed,  and  "grapes"  which  are  the  fruit  of  vineyards  and  vines, 
goods  of  charitv  and  goods  of  faith  (but  of  these  elsewhere). 


?86  APOCALVl'SK    KM'LAINED. 


VERSES  7,  8. 


377»  "And  when  he  had  opened  the  fourth  seal,  I  heard  the  voice  of  the  fourth 
miiiial  saying.  Come  and  see.  And  I  saw,  and  behold  a  pale  horse ;  and  he  that  sat  upon 
him  his  name  was  Death,  and  Hell  was  following  with  him.  And  there  was  given  unto  them 
power  ouer  the  fourth  part  of  the  earth,  to  hill  with  sword,  and  with  famine,  and  with  death, 
md  by  the  wild  beasts  of  the  earth." 

y.  "And  when  he  had  opened  the  fourth  seal"  signifies /^ft/?V?/(7M  still  further 
Manifested  [n.  378] ;  "I  heard  the  voice  of  the  fourth  animal  saying" 
signifies  out  of  the  inmost  heaven  from  the  Lord  [n.  379]  ;  "Come  and 
see"  signifies  attention  and  perception  [n.  380]. 

8.  "Und  I  saw,  and  behold  a  pale  horse,"  signifies  understanding  of  the  Word 
then  become  nought  in  consequence  of  evils  of  life  and  falsities  there- 
from [n.  381  ]  ;  "and  he  that  sat  upon  him  "  signifies  the  Word  [n.  382] ; 
"his  name  was  Death,  and  Hell  was  following  with  him,"  signifies  eter- 
nal damnation  [n.  383] ;  "and  there  was  given  unto  them  power  over 
the  fourth  part  of  the  earth,  to  kill,"  signifies  the  loss  of  every  good 
and  thus  of  everv  truth  from  the  Word,  and  in  consetjuence,  to  be  in 
the  doctrine  of  their  church  from  the  Word  [n.  384]  ;  "with  sword" 
signifies  by  falsity  [n.  385];  "and  with  famine"  signifies  /ly  the  loss, 
lack,  and  ignorance  of  the  kno-wledges  of  truth  and  good  [n.  3S6]  ;  "and 
with  death"  signifies  consequent  extindlion  of  spiritual  life  [n.  387]; 
"and  by  the  wild  beasts  of  the  earth"  signifies  evils  of  life  or  lusts  and 
falsities  therefrom  springing  from  love  of  self  and  of  the  world,  which 
devastate  all  things  of  the  churcJi  ivith  man  [n.  388]. 

378.  [  Verse  7.]  "And  when  he  had  opened  the  fourth  seal"  s\g- 

m^QS  pr edition  still  furthennanif ested ;  as  is  evident  from  what 
was  said  and  shown  above  (n.  351,  352,  361). 

379.  "/  heard  the  voice  of  the  fourth  animal  saying"  signi- 
fies out  of  the  inmost  heaven  from  the  Lord;  this,  too,  is  evident 
from  what  has  been  said  and  shown  above  (n.  353,  362,  370). 

380*  "Come  and  see"  signifies  attention  and  perception,  as 
above  (n.  354,  371). 

381*  [  Verse  8.]  "And  I  SOW,  and  behold  a  pale  horse,"  signifies 
understanding  of  the  Word  then  become  nought  in  consequence 
of  evils  of  life  and  falsities  therefroni. — This  and  the  following 
chapter  treats  of  the  successive  states  of  the  chiu'ch,  that  is,  of 
the  men  of  the  church  In  respect  to  their  spiritual  life  ;  and  their 
first  state  is  described  by  "the  white  horse,"  the  second  by  the 
"red  horse,"  the  third  by  "the  black  horse,"  and  the  fourth  by 
"the  pale  horse."  That  "the  white  horse"  signifies  understand- 
ing of  truth  from  the  Word  may  be  seen  above  (n.  355)  ;  that 
"  the  red  horse  "  signifies  understanding  of  the  Word  destroyed  in 
resped  to  good  (n.  364) ;  that  "  the  black  horse  "  signifies  under- 
standing of  the  Word  destroyed  in  respe6l  to  truth  (n.  372) ; 
which  makes  clear  that  "the  pale  horse"  signifies  understanding 
of  the  Word  become  nought  in  consequence  of  evils  of  life  and 
falsities  therefrom.     For  when  understanding  of  the  Word  is  de- 


CHAP.    VI.,    VERSF    8. — N.    3^1.  787 

stroyed  in  respect  to  good  and  in  resj)ect  to  truth,  it  follows  that 
understanding  of  the  Word  becomes  nought ;  and  for  the  reason 
that  e\il  of  life  and  falsity  therefrom  reign.  It  is  said  evil  of  life 
and  falsity  therefrom,  because  where  there  is  evil  of  life  there 
also  is  falsity,  for  these  make  one  in  man's  spirit :  it  is  said  in 
mans  spirit,  because  an  evil  man  equally  with  a  good  man  can 
do  good  and  speak  truth  ;  but  an  evil  man  does  this  merely  from 
the  natural  man  and  thus  from  the  body,  while  within  him,  that 
is,  in  his  spirit,  there  is  no  will  of  good  and  thus  no  understand- 
ing" of  truth,  therefore  neither  good  nor  truth  ;  this  is  especially 
evident  when  such  persons  become  spirits  ;  then,  because  they 
are  in  the  spirit,  they  will  nothing  but  evil  and  speak  nothing 
but  falsity.  This  is  what  is  here  meant  by  "the  pale  horse." 
That  "a  horse"  signifies  understanding  may  be  seen  abo\'e  (n. 
355) ;  here  understanding  of  the  Word,  because  "  he  that  sat  upon 
the  horse"  signifies  the  Word  (n.  373).  [2.]  "  Pale"  signifies  evil 
of  life  and  falsity  therefrom,  thus  "a  pale  horse"  understanding 
of  the  Word  become  nought  in  consequence  of  evils  of  life  and 
falsities  therefrom,  because  paleness  indicates  and  thus  signifies 
absence  of  life  or  loss  of  life,  here  absence  and  loss  of  spiritual  life, 
which  occurs  when  there  is  evil  of  life  in  place  of  good  of  life,  and 
falsity  of  faith  in  place  of  truth  of  faith,  for  there  is  then  no  spir- 
itual life.  Spiritual  life  means  the  life  of  heaven,  and  in  the 
Word  this  is  called  simply  "life  ;"  but  life  not  spiritual  is  such  a 
life  as  those  have  who  are  in  hell,  and  this  in  the  Word  is  called 
"death."  That  "the  pale  horse"  signifies  spiritual  death  is 
evident,  too,  from  the  rest  of  the  verse,  for  it  is  said,  "he  that 
sat  upon  (this  horse)  his  name  was  Death,  and  Hell  was  follow- 
ing with  him."  [3.]  "  Paleness"  or  "pale"  has  the  same  mean- 
ing in  yeremiah  : 

"  Ask  ye,  I  pray,  and  see  whether  a  male  doth  bring  forth?  wherefore  do 
I  see  every  man  with  his  hands  on  his  loins  as  one  in  travail,  and 
all  faces  are  turned  into  paleness?"  (xxx.  6.) 

No  one  can  know  what  these  words  involve  unless  he  knows  the 
signification  of  "bringing  forth,"  "male,"  "man  ivir),"  "hands  on 
the  loins,"  and  "faces."  This  is  said  of  those  who  wish  to  acquire 
for  themselves  love  and  faith  from  self-intelligence  ;  to  acquire 
these  for  oneself  is  signified  by  "bringing  forth  ;"  "male"  and 
"man"  signify  intelligence,  here  self- intelligence  ;  "hands  on  the  , 
loins"  signifies  pressing  these  forth  ;  and  "faces"  signify  love  and 
laith  :  for  angels  and  spirits  have  faces  such  as  their  love  and  faith 
ar^:,  ;'.!ic:"ti(>!i  for  good,  which  is  love,  and  affc6lion  for  truth,  whicli 


788  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

is  faith,  manifesting  themselves  wholly  in  thcii-  laces  ;  therefore 
"whether  a  male  doth  bring  forth"  signifies  whether  any  one  can 
acquire  for  himself  good  of  lo\e  and  truth  of  faith  from  self-intelli- 
gence. "  I  see  every  man  with  his  hands  on  his  loins  as  one  in 
travail"  signifies  that  every  one  is  striving  to  hatch  these  out  of 
what  is  his  own  [ex propria) ;  and  "all  faces  are  turned  into  pale- 
ness "  signifies  that  from  this  there  is  no  good  or  truth,  but  evil 
and  falsity,  thus  no  life,  but  spiritual  death.     This  is  signified  by 

"paleness  of  the  face."  (That  "conceptions,"  "travailings,"  and  "births," 
in  the  Word  signify  spiritual  conceptions,  travailings,  and  births  which  are  of  love 
and  faith,  see  A.C.,  n.  3860,  3868,  3915,  3965,  3919,  9325;  that  the  "male"  or 
"masculine"  signifies  truth,  and  intelligence  therefrom,  n.  749,  2046,  4005,  7838; 
likewise  "  man  [v/'r),"  n.  749,  1007,  3134,  3309,  3459,  9007  ;  that  "  the  face  "  signifies 
the  interiors  of  the  mind,  thus  the  things  ot  love  and  faith,  n.  1999,  2434,  3527,  4066, 
4796,  5102,  9306,  9546;  that  the  faces  with  angels  are  forms  of  their  affecflions, 
Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  47,  457,  459,  481,  552,  553.)       [4.]    "  To  waX  pale  "  liaS  a 

like  meaning  in  Isaiah  : 

"  Jacob  shall  not  be  ashamed,  neither  shall  his  face  wax  pale  "  (xxix.  22). 

"Jacob"  means  those  who  are  of  the  church,  and  "his  face  shall 
not  wax  pale"  means  that  such  shall  be  not  in  evils  and  falsities, 
but  in  goods  and  truths.  "Paleness"  signifies  absence  and  loss 
of  spiritual  life,  which  occurs  when  there  is  no  good  or  truth,  but 
evil  and  falsity,  because  when  man  is  deprived  of  vital  heat  he 
waxes  pale  and  becomes  an  image  of  death,  as  is  the  case  in  ex- 
treme terrors,  the  same  as  when  he  dies ;  but  when  a  man  dies 
spiritually  his  face  either  becomes  red  like  a  coal  fire  or  pale  like 
that  of  a  corpse ;  thus  the  infernals  appear  in  the  light  of  heaven. 
382.  "And  he  that  sat  upon  him"  signifies  /Ae  Wo?'d. — This 
is  evident  from  what  has  been  said  and  shown  above  (n.  373).  Its 
being  said  that  "his  name  was  Death"  does  not  mean  that  the 
Word  in  itself  is  death,  but  only  before  those  who  are  in  evils  and 
in  falsities  therefrom,  for  such  persons  see  and  perceive  in  the 
Word  nothing  of  truth  and  good,  thus  nothing  of  spiritual  life ; 
consequently  before  such  as  these  it  is  according  to  appearance 
and  perception  that  his  name  that  sat  upon  the  pale  horse  is 
"  Death."  For  the  Word  appears  to  every  one  according  to  what 
he  is,  as  life  to  those  who  are  in  good  and  truth,  but  as  death  to 
those  who  are  in  evils  and  falsities.  It  is  the  same  with  the  Lord 
Himself,  who  is  the  Word  ;  He  too  appears  to  every  one  accord- 
ing to  what  he  is ;  to  those  who  are  in  goods  and  in  truths  there- 
from He  appears  as  a  fire  and  as  light  vivifying  and  recreating, 
but  to  those  who  are  in  evils  and  in  falses  therefrom  He  appears 


CHAP.   VI.,   VERSK    8. — X.    3S4.  789 

as  a  consuming  fire  and  as  thick  darkness  (see  ^^.C,  n.  934  end,  1861 
end,  6832,  8814,  8819,  9434,  10551 ).  And  for  the  same  reason  to  those 
who  are  in  evil  and  in  falsities  therefrom  the  Lord  appears  to  be 
angry,  to  punish,  to  condemn,  and  to  cast  into  hell,  when  yet  He 
is  never  angry,  never  punishes,  or  condemns,  or  casts  into  hell, 
but  saves  so  far  as  man  applies  himself;  for  the  Lord  is  good 
itself  and  truth  itself,  He  is  love  itself  and  mercy  itself  The  same 
is  true  of  this  passage,  where  it  is  said  that  the  name  of  the  one 

that  sat  on  the  pale  horse  is  "  Death."  (On  this  more  may  be  seen 
cited  above,  n.  3730 

383«   "His  name  was  Death,  and  Hell  was  following  with  hint," 

signifies  eter7ial  damnation. — This  is  evident  from  the  signification 
of  "name,"  as  meaning  what  a  thing  is  (see  above,  n.  102,  148),  here 
what  the  Word  is  with  those  who  are  in  evils  and  in  falsities  there- 
from ;  also  from  the  signification  of"  death,"  as  meaning  damnation 
(of  which  also  see  above,  n.  186),  for  spiritual  death  is  nothing  else  ;  also 
from  the  signification  of  "hell,"  as  meaning  evil  and  flilsity  there- 
from, since  in  these  and  from  these  hell  exists.  Moreover,  "hell" 
has  the  same  signification  as  "death,"  namely,  damnation^  but  as 
both  are  here  mentioned,  and  thus  hell  is  distinguished  from  death, 
"hell"  signifies  eternal  damnation,  for  those  who  come  into  hell 
remain  there  to  eternity ;  therefore  it  is  added,  "  and  Hell  was 
following  with  him,"  "to  follow  with  him"  signifying  to  abide 
therein,  namely,  in  damnation  to  eternity.  From  this  it  can  be 
seen  that  "  his  name  was  Death,  and  Hell  was  following  with  him  " 
signifies  eternal  damnation. 

384.  "And  there  was  given  unto  them  power  over  the  fourth 
part  of  the  earth,  to  kill,"  signifies  the  loss  of  every  good  and  tJuis 
of  every  truth  from,  the  Word,  and  in  consequence  to  be  in  the 
doSlrine  of  their  church  from  the  Word. — This  is  evident  from 
the  signification  of  "power,"  as  meaning  effedl,  since  to  be  able 
means  to  effedl ;  from  the  signification  of  "to  kill"  or  "to  slay," 
as  meaning  to  deprive  of  good  and  truth  (of  which  above,  n.  366)  j 
from  the  signification  of  "  fourth  part,"  as  meaning  every  good 
and  thus  every  truth  (of  which  presently) ;  and  from  the  signification, 
of  "earth,"  as  meaning  the  church  and  everything  thereof  fof  which 
above,  n.  29, 304).  And  as  a  church  is  a  church  from  its  do6lrine 
and  from  life  according  to  it,  and  as  every  doflrine  of  the  church 
must  be  from  the  Word,  so  dodlrine  of  the  church  from  the 
Word  is  at  the  same  time  signified.  From  this  it  can  be  seen  that 
"  there  was  given  unto  them  power  over  the  fourth  part  of  the  earth 
to  kill"  signifies  the  loss  of  every  good  and  thus  of  every  truth 


790  APOCALYPSK    l.X  IM  A  1  M  I  • 

from  the  Word,  and  in  consequence  to  be  in  the  do6trine  of  the 
church  from  the  Word.  It  is  said  that  "f)ower  was  tjiven  uiit<» 
them,"  meaning^  to  evils  and  to  falsities  therefrom,  and  tliese  art- 
signified  also  by  "death  and  hell."  That  those  who  are  in  e\il-. 
and  falsities  deprive  themselves  of  all  i)erceiJtion  of  gf)od  and  un- 
derstanding of  truth  from  the  Word,  and  in  consequence  are  in 
the  docflrine  of  their  church  from  the  Word,  is  clearly  evident 
in  the  case  of  those  who  are  in  falsities  of  doctrine  from  e\  ils  of 
life.  Such,  although  they  read  the  Word,  either  do  not  see  the 
truths  that  are  in  it  or  falsify  them  by  applying  them  to  the  falsi- 
ties of  their  own  opinions  and  to  the  evils  of  their  own  loves  ; 
for  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word  is  such  that  those  who  are 
in  good  see  truths  in  it,  and  those  who  are  in  evil  see  falsities,  for 
the  sense  of  the  letter  is  adapted  to  the  apprehension  of  little 
children,  youths,  and  the  simple,  and  is  therefore  according  to 
appearance  ;  but  still  in  that  sense  truths  lie  hid  that  are  seen  by 
none  except  those  who  are  in  good,  those  who  are  in  evil  not 
wishing  to  see  them,  but  they  adapt  all  things  by  perxerse  inter- 
pretations to  the  evils  of  their  loves  and  to  the  falsities  of  their 
opinions,  as  is  plainly  evident  from  so  many  heresies  existing 
within  the  church,  especially  the  wicked  Babylonian  heresy,  and 
also  the  Jewish  heresy.  [2.]  "A  fourth  part"  signifies  every 
good  and  thus  every  truth,  because  the  number  "four"  signifies 
conjun6fion  of  good  and  truth,  and  therefore  "a  fourth  part"  or 
"a  fourth"  signifies  everything  of  conjunction.  In  the  Word  "a 
third  part"  and  also  "a  fourth  part"  are  often  mentioned,  and 
those  who  do  not  know  that  all  numbers  signiiy  things  may  sup- 
pose that  "a  third  part"  means  a  third  part,  and  "a  fourth  part" 
a  fourth  part,  or  that  they  signify  some  portion  ;  but  "  a  third  part " 
signifies  all  truth,  and  "a  fourth  part"  all  good;  and  as  all  truth 
is  from  good,  "a  fourth  part"  signifies  all  good  and  the  truth 
therefrom,  here  the  loss  of  these,  because  it  is  said  "there  was 
given  to  them  power  over  the  fourth  part  of  the  earth  to  kill." 
That  "three"  and  thus  "a  third  part"  are  predicated  of  truths, 
will  be  seen  hereafter,  where  that  number  is  mentioned.  But 
"four"  and  thus  "a  fourth  part"  are  predicated  of  goods  and 
the  truths  therefrom,  because  they  signify  conjundion  of  good 
and  truth.  This  has  been  made  evident  to  me  by  much  experience 
from  the  spiritual  world  ;  for  when  angels  spoke  there  of  the  con- 
jundlion  of  good  and  truth,  or  of  love  and  faith,  and  their  talk 
was  determined  into  numbers,  the  number  four  was  exhibited,  and 
sometimes  the  number  two,  or  the  number  eight,  or  the  number 
sixteen,  because  these  numbers  have  a  like  signification,  for  num- 


CHAP.   VI.,   VERSi:    S. — N.   3.S6Lrt].  791 

bers  multiplied  or  di\  icied  by  thcniseh  es  have  the  same  significa- 
tion as  the  numbers  with  which  they  are  multiplied  or  divided  (see 
A.C.,  n.  5291,  5335.  5708,  7973).  That  angelic  speech  falls  into  numbers, 
may  be  seen  in  Heaven  atid  Hell  iw.  263).  That  ''lour"  sii^iiitic-s 
conjun6lion  of  good  and  truth  has  its  origin  from  the  four  quar- 
ters in  heaven,  in  two  of  which,  namely,  in  the  east  and  west, 
those  dwell  who  arc  in  good  of  love,  and  in  the  other  two,  namely, 
in  the  south  and  the  north,  those  who  are  in  truths  therefrom, 
(see  Heaven  and  He/i.  n.\^i-iS2)-  Consequently  "the  four  quarters," 
or  "  the  four  winds,"  signify  all  good  and  truth  therefrom,  and 
'"four"  their  conjunction.  "A  fourth  part"  signifies  everything 
of  conjunclion  of  good  and  truth,  because  here  "  a  fourth  "  con- 
stitutes the  whole,  and  "  a  fourth  "  is  significatix  e  of  conjuncliion  ; 
therefore  "killing  a  fourth  part"  signifies  everything  of  conjunc- 
tion, consequently  exery  good  and  truth  ;  for  where  no  conjunc- 
tion of  good  and  truth  exists,  there  they  are  not ;  for  there  can 
be  no  good  without  truth,  nor  truth  without  good  ;  they  are  in 
their  essence  one,  since  truth  is  of  good,  and  good  is  of  truth  (as 

can  be  seen  from  what  is  said,  dXtd  the  passages  cited  respetfting  good  and  truth  in 
the  Doftrine  of  the  New  yerusalcm,  n.  11-27). 

385«  "With  sword"  signifies  by  falsity. —  Hiis  is  evident  from 
the  signification  of  "sword,"  as  meaning  truth  fighting  against 
falsity  and  destroying  it ;  and  in  a  contrarv  sense  falsity  fighting 
against  truth  and  destroying  it  (of  which  above,  n.  131,  367). 

386[«].  "And  wifh  famine"  signifies  by  the  loss,  lack,  and 
ignorance  of  knozv ledges  of  truth  and  good. — This  is  evident  from 
the  signification  of  "famine,"  as  meaning  the  loss  of  knowledges 
of  truth  and  good,  also  lack  and  ignorance  of  them.  These  are 
signified  by  "famine"  in  the  Word.  This  is  the  signification  of 
"famine"  because  "food  and  drink  "  signify  all  things  that  nourish 
and  sustain  spiritual  life,  and  these  in  general  are  knowledges  of 
truth  and  good.  The  spiritual  life  itself  needs  nourishment  and 
support  just  as  much  as  the  natural  life  does ;  so  it  is  said  to  be 
famished  when  a  man  is  deprived  of  these  knowledges,  or  when 
they  fail,  or  when  they  are  unknown  and  vet  are  desired.  More- 
over, natural  foods  correspond  to  spiritual  foods,  as  bread  to  the 
good  ol  love,  wine  to  truths  therefrom,  and  other  foods  and 
drinks  to  particular  goods  and  truths,  which  have  been  treated  of 
in  several  places  before,  and  will  be  treated  of  in  what  follows. 
It  is  said  that  "famine"  signifies  (i.)  loss  of  knowledges  of  truth 
and  good,  (ii.)  lack,  and  (iii.)  ignorance  of  them,  since  there  is 
loss  with  those  who  are  in  evils  and  in  falsities  therefrom  ;  lack 
with  those  who  cannot  know  them,  because  they  are  not  in  the 


792  APOCALYPSE    KXPLAIN'KO. 

cluiicli  or  in  its  (ioclrine  ;  aiul  ignorance  wiin  those  who  know 
that  there  are  knowledges,  and  therefore  desire  them  :  these  three 
things  are  signified  by  "  famine"  in  the  Word,  as  can  be  seen 
from  the  passages  there  in  which  "  famine,"  "  the  lumgry,"  "  thirst," 
and  "the  thirsty,"  are  mentioned. 

[fr.]  1 2.]  (i.)  That '''famine'"  signifies  the  loss  of  knowledges 
of  truth  and  good  7vhich  exists  with  those  who  are  in  evils  and 
in  falsities  therefrom-,  is  evident  from  the  following  passages.  In 
Isaiah  : 

"  In  the  wrath  of  Jehovah  of  hosts  is  the  land  darkened,  and  the  people 
are  become  as  fuel  of  the  fire  ;  a  man  shall  not  spare  his  brother. 
And  if  he  shall  cut  down  on  the  right  hand  he  shall  still  be  hun- 
gry, and  if  he  shall  eat  on  the  left  hand  they  shall  not  be  satisfied  ; 
they  shall  eat  every  man  the  flesh  of  his  own  arm  ;  Manasseh 
Ephraim,  and  Ephraim  Manasseh ;  they  together  against  Jeho- 
vah" (ix.  19-21). 

Except  from  the  internal  sense  no  one  can  understand  this,  nor 
can  even  know^  what  is  treated  of.  This  treats  of  the  extin6lion 
of  good  by  falsity,  and  of  truth  by  evil.  The  perversion  of  the 
church  through  falsity  is  meant  by  "  in  the  wrath  of  Jehovah  of 
hosts  is  the  land  darkened  ;"  and  the  perversion  of  it  through 
evil  is  meant  by  "  the  people  are  become  as  fuel  of  the  fire  ;"  "  the 
land  darkened"  signifies  the  church  where  there  is  no  truth,  but 
only  falsity  ;  and  "  fuel  of  the  fire  "  signifies  consumption  of  the 
truth  by  love  of  evil,  "  fire  "  meaning  love  of  evil.  That  falsity 
destroys  good  is  meant  by  "a  man  shall  not  spare  his  brother," 
"man  (vir)"  and  "brother"  signifying  truth  and  good,  here 
"man"  signifies  falsity,  and  "brother"  good,  because  it  is  said 
that  "  he  shall  not  spare  him."  The  consequent  loss  of  all  good 
and  of  all  truth,  however  much  it  may  be  sought,  is  meant  by  "if 
he  shall  cut  down  on  the  right  hand  he  shall  still  be  hungry,  and 
if  he  shall  eat  on  the  left  hand  they  shall  not  be  satisfied,"  "right 
hand"  signifying  good  from  which  is  truth,  and  "  left  hand  "  truth 
from  good,  "to  cut  at,  and  to  eat  these"  signifies  to  seek,  and 
"to  be  hungry  and  not  be  .satisfied"  means  to  be  deprived  of; 
that  evil  extinguishes  all  truth  and  falsity  all  good  is  meant  by 
"  they  shall  eat  every  man  the  flesh  of  his  own  arm,"  "  flesh  of 
the  arm"  meaning  the  power  of  good  through  truth,  "man" 
falsity,  and  "to  eat"  to  extinguish.  That  thus  all  will  of  good 
and  understanding  of  truth  perishes  is  meant  by  "  Manasseh  shall 
eat  Ephraim,  and  Ephraim  Manasseh."   (That  "Manasseh"  means  will 

of  good,  and  "  Ephraim  "  understanding  of  truth,  see  A.  C,  n.  3969,  5354,  6222, 6234, 

6238.  6267,  6296.)  That  this  is  true  of  those  who  are  in  evils  and 
falsities  is  meant  by  "they  together  against  Jehovah  ;"  for  when 


CHAP.   VI.,  VERSE    8. — N.   3S6[/5].  793 

the  will  is  in  good  and  the  understanding  in  truth  these  are  with 
Jehovah,  since  they  are  both  from  Him  :  but  when  the  will  is 
in  evil  and  the  understanding  in  falsity  they  are  against  Jehovah. 
[3.]    In  the  same, 

"Rejoice  not,  O  Philistia,  all  of  thee,  because  the  rod  that  smiteth  thee 
is  broken  :  for  from  the  serpent's  root  shall  come  forth  a  basilisk, 

his  fruit  shall  be  a  fiery  flying  serpent I  will  kill  thy  root 

with  famine,  and  it  shall  slay  thy  remnant"  (xiv.  29,  30). 

Nearly  the  same  is  meant  by  this  in  the  internal  sense ;  but  here 
those  are  treated  of  who  believe  that  faith  is  merely  the  interior 
sight  of  the  natural  man,  and  that  they  are  justified  and  saved  by 
such  sight  or  faith,  thus  denying  that  the  good  of  charity  has  any 
effed.  Such  as  these  are  meant  by  "  the  Philistines,"  and  a 
coUedion  of  them  by  "  Philistia"  (see  a.c.  n.  3412.  3413,  8093,  8313). 
That  this  false  principle,  which  is  faith  alone  or  faith  separated 
from  charity,  destroys  every  good  and  truth  of  the  church  is 
meant  by  "from  the  serpent's  root  shall  come  forth  a  basilisk," 
"serpent's  root"  meaning  that  false  principle,  and  "basilisk"  the 
destruction  of  the  good  and  truth  of  the  church  thereby.  That 
reasoning  from  mere  falsities  springs  from  this  is  meant  by  "  his 
fruit  shall  be  a  fiery  flying  serpent,"  "  fiery  flying  serpent "  mean- 
ing reasoning  from  falsities.  The  loss  of  all  truth  and  thus  of  all 
good  is  meant  by  "  I  will  kill  thy  root  with  famine,  and  famine 
shall  slay  thy  remnant,"  "famine"  meaning  the  loss  of  truth  and 
good,  and  "remnant"  meaning  all  things  hatched  out  of  that 
principle.  That  such  is  the  meaning  has  been  made  evident  also 
by  experience  itself  Those  who  in  doctrine  and  in  life  have  con- 
firmed themselves  in  the  principle  of  faith  alone  are  seen  in  the 
spiritual  world  as  basilisks,  and  their  reasonings  as  fiery  flying 
serpents.     [4.]    In  the  same, 

"Who  formeth  a  god,  and  casteth  a  molten  image,  and  it  profiteth  not? 
....  he  fashioneth  iron  with  the  tongs,  and  worketh  it  in  the  coal, 
and  formeth  it  with  sharp  hammers ;  so  he  worketh  it  by  the  arm 
of  his  strength  ;  yea,  he  is  hungry  until  his  strength  faileth,  neither 
doth  he  drink, ....  until  he  is  weary  "  (xliv.  lo  12). 

This  describes  the  formation  of  do6lrine  both  from  one's  own 
understanding  and  from  one's  own  love.  "To  form  a  god"  sig- 
nifies doctrine  from  one's  own  understanding;  and  "to  cast  a 
molten  image,"  from  one's  own  love.  "  He  fashioneth  the  iron 
with  the  tongs,  and  worketh  it  in  the  coal,"  signifies  the  falsity 
that  he  calls  truth  and  the  evil  that  he  calls  good,  "iron"  mean- 
ing falsity,  and  "fire  of  coal"  the  evil  of  one's  own  love.  "He 
ft)rnieth  it  with  sharp  hammers  "  signifies  by  ingenious  reason- 


794  APOCALYPSE  EXPLAINKD. 

ings  from  falsities  so  that  they  may  seem  to  hold  togi-thei- ;  '  -lO 
he  worketh  it  by  the  arm  of  his  strength"  signifies  from  wliat  is 
his  own  {ex propria) ;  "yea,  he  is  hungry  until  his  strength  faikth, 
neither  doth  he  drink,  until  he  is  weary,"  signifies  that  there  is 
nothing  whatever  of  good  or  of  truth,  "to  be  hungry"  signifies 
loss  of  good,  and  "  not  to  drink  "  loss  of  truth,  "  until  his  strength 
faileth"  and  "until  he  is  weary"  signify  till  there  is  nothing  of 
good  and  nothing  of  truth  left.  Who  that  looks  at  the  Word 
in  the  sense  of  the  letter  only,  can  see  in  this  anything  but  a  de- 
scription of  the  formation  of  a  graven  image?  yet  he  must  see 
that  tliere  is  nothing  spiritual  involved  in  such  a  description  of 
the  formation  of  a  graven  image  ;  also  that  there  is  no  need  of 
saying  that  "he  is  hungry  until  his  strength  faileth,  neither  doth 
he  drink  until  he  is  weary  ;"  nevertheless  not  only  here  but  else- 
where in  many  places  in  the  Word,  the  formation  of  a  religion 
and  of  the  do6lrine  of  falsity  is  described  by  "idols,"  "graven 

images"  and  "molten  images."  (That  these  sitrnify  the  falsities  of  relig- 
ion, and  of  doctrine  originating  from  one's  own  understanding,  and  from  t)ne's  own 

love,  see  A.C..  n.  8869, 8932, 8941,  9424,  10406,  10503. "1     [5.]    lu  the  same, 

'  These  two  things  have  befallen  thee  ;  who  shall  bemoan  thee  ?  devas- 
tation and  a  breach,  and  famine  and  sword  "  (li.  19). 

Here,  too.  "famine"  means  the  loss  of  knowledges  of  good,  even 
till  there  is  no  more  good  ;  and  "sword"  the  loss  of  knowledges 
of  truth,  even  till  there  is  no  more  truth  ;  therefore  "devastation  " 
and  "  breach  "  are  mentioned,  "  devastation  "  signifying  that  there 
is  no  more  good,  and  "breach"  that  there  is  no  more  truth. 
[6.]   In  the  same, 

"Thus  said  the  Lord  Jehovih,  Behold,  My  servants  shall  eat,  but  ye  shall 
be  hungry  ;  My  servants  shall  drink,  but  ye  shall  be  thirsty  ;  behold. 
My  servants  shall  be  glad,  but  ye  shall  be  ashamed"  (Ixv.  13). 

Here,  also,  "  to  be  hungry  and  thirsty"  means  to  be  deprived  of 
the  good  of  love  and  the  truths  of  faith,  "to  be  hungry"  to  be 
deprived  of  the  good  of  love,  and  "to  be  thirsty  "to  be  deprived 
of  the  truths  of  faith  ;  "to  eat  and  to  drink"  signifies  communica- 
tion and  appropriation  of  goods  and  truths  ;  and  "  servants  of 
the  Lord  Jehovih,"  those  who  receive  goods  and  truths  from  the 
Lord  ;  this  makes  clear  what  is  signified  by  "Behold,  My  servants 
shall  eat,  but  ye  shall  be  hungry  ;  My  servants  shall  drink,  but  ye 
shall  be  thirsty  ;"  that  the  Lord's  servants  shall  have  eternal  happi- 
ness, but  others  unhappiness,  is  signified  by  "  Behold,  My  ser\'ants 
shall  be  glad,  but  ye  shall  be  ashamed."   [7.]  In  yeremiah  : 

"  By  sword,  by  famine,  and  by  pestilence  I  consume  them  ;  Yet  I  said,  Ah 
Lord  Jehovih !  behold  the  prophets  say  unto  them,  Ye  shall  not 
see  the  sword,  neither  shall  ye  have  famines Therefore  thus 


CHAT.    VI.,   VERSE    S.  ^N.   3S6[/^].  795 

said  Jehovah  against  the  prophets  prophesying  in  my  name,  al- 
though I  sent  them  not,  yet  they  say,  Sword  and  famine  shall  not 
be  in  this  land.  By  sword  and  by  famine  shall  these  prophets  be 
consumed  ;  the  people  to  whom  they  prophesy  shall  be  cast  out  in 
the  streets  of  Jerusalem, ....  there  shall  be  no  one  to  bury  them  " 
(xiv.  12,  13,  15,  16). 

"Sword,  famine,  and  pestilence,"  signifies  the  loss  of  truth  and 
of  good,  and  thus  of  spiritual  life  throug^h  falsities  and  evils  ; 
'sword"  signifying  the  loss  of  truth  through  lalsities,  "famine" 
the  loss  of  good  through  evils,  and  "  pestilence  "  the  loss  of  spir- 
itual life.  "  Prophets"  mean  those  who  teach  truths  of  doftrine, 
and  in  an  abstra(5l  sense,  do(!:lrinals  of  truth.  This  makes  clear 
what  is  signihed  by  all  this,  namely,  that  those  who  teach  the 
dodlrine  of  falsity  and  evil  shall  perish  through  these  things  that 
are  signihed  by  "  sword  and  famine  ;"  and  that  those  who  receive 
that  doctrine  from  them  are  separated  from  every  truth  of  the 
church,  and  are  damned,  is  signified  by  "they  shall  be  cast  out  in 
the  streets  of  Jerusalem,  there  shall  be  no  one  to  bury  them," 
"streets  of  Jerusalem"  meaning  the  truths  of  the  church,  "to  be 
cast  out  in  thein  "  meaning  to  be  separated  from  those  truths, 
and  "not  to  be  buried"  meaning  to  be  damned.  [7.]  "Sword, 
famine,  and  pestilence,"  have  a  like  signification  in  the  follow- 
ing passages,  "  sword  "  signifying  the  loss  of  truth  through  falsi- 
ties, "  famine  "  the  loss  of  good  through  evils,  and  "  pestilence  "  the 
consequent  consumption  and  loss  of  spiritual  life.    In  yeremiah  : 

"  They  shall  be  consumed  by  sword  and  by  famine,  that  their  carcase 
may  be  for  food  to  the  birds  of  the  heavens  and  to  the  beast  of  the 
earth  "  Ixvi.  4) ; 

"their  carcase  may  be  for  food  to  the  birds  of  the  heavens"  sig- 
nifying damnation  by  falsities,  and  "for  food  to  the  beast  of  the 
earth"  damnation  by  evils.     In  the  same, 

"  They  have  denied  Jehovah  when  they  said,  It  is  not  He  ;  neither  shall 
evil  come  upon  us  ;  neither  shall  we  see  sword  and  famine  "  (v.  12). 

In  the  same, 

"  Behold  I  will  visit  upon  them  ;  the  young  men  shall  die  by  the  sword, 
their  sons  and  their  daughters  shall  die  by  famine  "  (xi.  22). 

In  the  same, 

"Give  their  sons  to  the  famine,  and  make  them  Row  down  upon  the 
hands  of  the  sword,  that  their  wives  may  become  bereaved  and 
widows,  and  their  men  be  put  to  death,  their  young  men  smitten 
by  the  sword  in  war"  (xviii.  21). 

In  the  same, 

**  I  will  send  upon  them  sword,  famine,  and  pestilence,  and  will  make 
them  like  vile  figs,  that  cannot  be  eaten  for  badness.  And  T  will 
pursue  after  them  with  sword,  with  famine,  and  with  pestilence  " 
(xxix.  17,  18). 


7ty>  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

[n  the  same, 

"  I  will  send  upon  them  sword,  famine,  and  pestilence,  until  they  are  con- 
sumed from  off  the  land  that  I  gave  to  them  and  to  their  fathers" 
(xxiv.  lo). 

In  the  same, 

"I  proclaim  to  you  a  liberty,  to  the  sword,  to  the  pestilence,  and  to  the 
famine  ;  and  I  will  deliver  you  up  to  be  tossed  to  and  fro  by  all 
the  kingdoms  of  the  earth"  (xxxiv.  17). 

In  the  Gospels : 

"  Nation  shall  be  roused  against  nation,  and  kingdom  against  kingdom  ; 
and  there  shall  be  pestilences,  and  famines,  and  earthquakes,  in 
divers  places  "  {Matt.  xxiv.  7  ;  Mark  xiii.  8  ;  Luke  xxi.  1 1). 

In  Ezekiel  : 

"  Because  thou  hast  defiled  My  sancluary,.  .  .  .a  third  part  of  thee  shall 
die  with  the  pestilence,  and  with  famine  shall  they  be  consumed  in 
the  midst  of  thee ;  and  a  third  part  shall  fall  by  the  sword  round 

about  thee  ;  and  a  third  part  I  will  scatter  to  every  wind 

When  I  shall  send  upon  them  the  evil  arrows  of  famine,  that  shall 
be  for  destruction,  when  I  shall  send  them  to  destroy  you  ;  but  yet 
I  will  increase  the  famine  upon  you,  until  I  shall  have  broken  to 
you  the  staff  of  bread.  And  I  will  send  upon  you  famine  and  the 
evil  wild  beast,  and  I  will  make  thee  bereaved  ;  and  pestilence  and 
blood  shall  pass  through  thee"  (v.  11,  12,  16,  17). 

In  the  same, 

"  The  sword  without,  and  pestilence  and  famine  within  ;  he  that  is  in  the 
field  shall  die  by  the  sword,  but  he  that  is  in  the  city  famine  and 
pestilence  shall  devour  him"  (vii.  15). 

In  the  same, 

"Because  of  all  the  evil  abominations,.  . .  .they  shall  fall  by  the  sword, 
by  famine,  and  by  pestilence.  He  that  is  far  off  shall  die  by  pesti- 
lence; he  that  is  near  shall  fall  by  the  sword  :  and  he  that  remain- 
eth  and  is  preserved  shall  die  by  the  famine"  (vi.  11,  12). 

In  yeremiah: 

"But  if  ye  say,  We  will  not  dwell  in  this  land,  that  ye  may  not  obey 
the  voice  of  Jehovah  your  God  ;  saying  No,  but  we  will  go  into 
the  land  of  Egypt,  where  we  shall  see  no  war  and  shall  not  hear 
the  sound  of  the  trumpet  and  shall  not  hunger  for  bread,  and 
there  will  we  dwell  ;.  .  .  .hear  ye  the  word  of  Jehovah,.  .  .  .  If  ye 
wholly  set  your  faces  to  enter  into  Egypt,  and  go  to  sojourn  there, 
it  shall  come  to  pass  that  the  sword  that  ye  fear  shall  overtake  you 
there  in  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  the  famine  whereof  ye  were  afraid 
shall  follow  hard  after  you  there  in  Egypt,  and  there  ye  shall  die. 
....  And  they  shall  die  there  by  sword,  by  famine,  and  by  pesti- 
lence ;    neither  shall  one  of  them  remain because  of  the  evil 

that  I  will  bring  upon  you And  ye  shall  be  for  an  execration 

and  an  astonishment, .  .  .  and  for  a  reproach  ;  and  ye  shall  see  this 

place  no  more Now  therefore  know  certainly,  that  ye  shall  die 

by  sword,  by  famine,  and  by  pestilence,  in  the  place  whither  ye  have 
desired  to  go  in  order  to  sojourn  there"  (xlii.  13-18,  22  ;  xliv.12,13,  27). 

"Egypt"  here  signifies  the  natural,  and  "to  come  into  Egypt 


CHAP.  VI.,   VERSE    8. — N.   3K6[/;J.  797 

and  to  sojourn  there"  signifies  to  become  natural.    (That"  i".g\|>t" 

means  the  knowing  faculty  {sciei/tijicum)  that  belongs  to  the  natural  man,  and  thus 
the  natural,  and  "  the  land  of  Egypt"  means  the  natural  mind,  see  A.C.,  n.  4967, 
5079,  5080,  5095,  5276,  5278,  5280,  5288,  5301.  5160,  5799,  6015,  6147,  6252,  7353, 
7648,9340,9391;   and  that  "to  sojourn"  means   to  be  instrudted.  and  to  live,  n. 

1463,  2025,  3672.)  From  all  this  it  can  be  seen  what  is  signified  in 
the  spiritual  sense  by  "their  not  going  into  Egyjit,  and  their 
dying  by  the  sword,  the  famine,  and  the  pestilence,  if  they  did," 
namely,  that  if  they  became  merely  natural,  they  would  be  de- 
prived of  all  truth  and  good  and  spiritual  life ;  for  the  natural 
man  separate  from  the  spiritual  is  in  falsities  and  evils,  and  thus 

in  mfernal  life.  (That  the  natural  man  separate  from  the  spiritual  is  such,  see 
Doilrine  of  the  New   Jerusalem,  n.  47,  48.)       Therefore  it  is  Said  that  if 

they  went  into  Egypt  "they  should  be  for  an  execration  and  an 
astonishment  and  a  reproach,  neither  would  they  see  this  place  ;" 
"  the  place  they  would  not  see  "  meaning  the  state  of  the  spirit- 
ual man,  the  same  as  "the  land  of  Canaan."  Like  things  are 
signified  by  the  murmurings  of  the  sons  of  Israel  in  the  wilder- 
ness, because  they  so  often  desired  to  return  into  Egypt ;  therefore 
manna  was  given  to  them,  which  signifies  spiritual  nourishment 
{Exod.  xvi.  2,  3,  7-9,  22).     [9.]    In  Ezekiel: 

"Then  I  will  stretch  out  Mine  hand  against"  the  house  of  Israel,  "  that 
I  may  break  for  it  the  stafif  of  bread,  and  send  famine  upon  it,  and 

cut  off  from  it  man  and  beast Then  I  will  cause  the  evil 

wild  beast  to  pass  through  the  land,  and  will  bereave  it,  that  it  may 
become  a  desolation Then  I  will  send  my  four  evil  judg- 
ments upon  Jerusalem,  sword,  and  famine,  and  the  evil  wild  beast, 
and  pestilence,  to  cut  off  from  it  man  and  beast"  (xiv.  13,  15,  21). 

This  describes  the  vastation  of  the  church  ;  "house  of  Israel" 
and  "Jerusalem"  meaning  the  church;  "to  break  the  staff  of 
bread  "  signifies  to  destroy  everything  celestial  and  spiritual  by 
which  the  church  should  be  nourished,  for  "bread"  involves 
everything  belonging  to  heaven  and  the  church,  that  is,  all  spirit- 
ual nourishment  ;  "to  cut  off  man  and  beast"  signifies  every 
spiritual  and  natural  affe<5lion  ;  therefore  "  the  sword,  famine,  evil 
wild  beast,  and  pestilence,"  signify  destru61ion  of  truth  by  falsity, 
of  good  by  evil,  of  affe6lion  for  truth  and  good  by  lusts  arising 
from  evil  loves,  and  the  consequent  extinction  of  spiritual  life. 
These  are  called  "the  four  evil  judgments,"  and  are  meant  by 
"the  sword,  famine,  death,  and  the  evil  wild  beast,"  in  this  verse 
of  the  Apocalypse.  Evidently  it  is  the  vastation  of  the  church 
that  is  thus  described,  [lo.]  The  three  evils  that  are  signified 
by  "famine,  sword,  and  pestilence,"  the  prophet  Gad  also  an- 
nounced to  David  when  he  had  numbered  the  people  (2  Sain. 
xxiv.  13).  No  one  can  know  why  David  was  threatened  with 
these  because  of  his  numbering  the  people  unless  he  knows  that 


798  ArocAi.vi'SK  i;.\plaini:ij. 

the  people  (j1  Israel  rei)re.sciileil  and  thus  >i>^nit"utl  the  church  iiv 
respe6l  to  all  its  truths  and  goods,  and  that  "  to  number"  signi- 
fies to  know  the  quality  thereof,  and  afterwards  to  arrange  and 
dispose  them  according  to  it.  Because  no  one  but  the  Lord 
knows  and  does  this,  and  because  the  man  who  does  it  deprives 
himself  of  all  good  and  truth  and  of  spiritual  life,  and  because 
David  did  this  representatively,  these  three  evils  were  offered  him» 
one  of  which  he  might  choose.  Who  can  not  see  that  there  was 
nothing  wrong  in  numbering  the  people,  and  that  the  evil  on 
account  of  which  David  and  the  people  were  punished  was  hid- 
den interiorly,  that  is,  in  the  representatives  in  which  the  church 
then  was?  In  the  passages  that  have  been  cited,  "famine"  sig- 
nifies the  loss  of  knowledges  of  truth  and  good,  and  the  conse- 
quent loss  of  all  truth  and  good. 

[c]  [II.]  (ii.)  That'''' famine'' signifies  also  the  lack  of  know- 
ledges zaith  those  7vho  cannot  know  them  because  they  are  not  in 
the  chjiirh  or  in  the  doHrine  thereof,  is  e\'ident  from  the  following 
passages.     \\\  Amos  : 

"  Behold,  the  days  shall  come.  .  .  .in  which  I  will  send  a  famine  into  the 
land,  not  a  famine  for  bread,  nor  a  thirst  for  waters,  but  for  hear- 
ing the  words  of  Jehovah  ;  that  they  may  wander  from  sea  to  sea, 
from  the  north  to  the  east,  and  may  run  to  and  fro  seeking  the 
word  of  Jehovah,  and  shall  not  find  it.  In  that  day  shall  the  fair 
virgins  and  youths  faint  for  thirst"    (viii.  11-13). 

This  explains  what  is  meant  bv  "  famine"  and  "thirst,"  namely, 
that  a  famine  for  bread  is  not  meant,  nor  a  thirst  for  waters,  but 
for  hearing  the  word  of  Jehovah,  thus  that  it  is  a  lack  of  know- 
ledges of  good  and  truth  that  is  meant ;  and  that  these  are  not 
in  the  church  or  in  its  do6lrine  is  described  by  the  words,  "  they 
shall  go  from  sea  to  sea,  and  from  the  north  to  the  east,  seeking 
the  word  of  Jehovah,  and  shall  not  find  it,"  "from  sea  to  sea" 
signifying  on  every  side,  for  the  outmost  boundaries  in  the  spirit- 
ual world,  where  truths  and  goods  begin  and  terminate  appear 
like  seas;  consequently  "seas"  in  the  Word  signify  knowledges 
of  truth  and  good,  also  knowledges  {scimiijica)  in  general  ;  "fi-om 
the  north  to  the  east"  signifies  also  on  every  side  where  truth 
and  good  are,  "the  north"  meaning  where  truth  is  in  obscurity, 
and  "the  east"  where  good  is.  Because  "famine  and  thirst" 
signify  a  lack  of  knowledges  of  good  and  truth,  it  is  also  said 
"  in  that  day  shall  the  fair  virgins  and  youths  faint  for  thirst," 
"fair  virgins"  meaning  affe6lions  for  truth  from  good,  and 
"youths"  the  truths  themselves  that  are  from  good,  "the  thirst" 
for  which  they  shall  faint  meaning  the  lack  of  these.  (That  "  vir- 
gins "  signify  affeiftions  for  good  and  truth,  see  A.C.,n.  2362,  3963,  6729,  6775,  ^788  ; 
and  "yotiths"  truths  themselves,  and  intelligence,  n.  7668.)      [12.]    In  Isaiah  : 


CHAP.   VI..   VERSK    8.— N.   3S6[cJ.  799 

"Therefore  My  people  shall  go  into  captivity  for  lack  of  knowledge; 
and  the  glory  thereof  shall  be  men  of  famine,  and  the  multitude 
thereof  shall  be  dried  up  with  thirst"  (v.  13). 

The  desolation  or  destruction  of  the  chinch  iVom  lack  of  know- 
ledges of  good  and  truth  is  signified  by,  "  My  people  shall  go  into 
captivity  lor  lack  of  knowledge."  The  Divine  truth  that  consd- 
tut(  s  the  church  is  signified  by  "glory  ;"  that  this  is  not,  and 
consecjuently  good  is  not,  is  signified  by  "the  glory  thereof  shall 
be  men  of  famine,"  "men  of  famine"  meaning  those  who  are  in 
no  perception  of  good,  and  in  no  knowledges  of  truth  ;  and  that 
consequently  there  is  no  truth  is  signified  by  "the  multitude  thereof 
shall  be  dried  up  with  thirst,"  "to  be  dried  up  with  thirst"  mean- 
ing lack  of  truth,  "multitude"  in  the  Word  being  predicated  of 
truths.     [13.]    In  the  same, 

"The  people  shall  seek  their  God, . .  .  the  law  and  the  testimony  ; . . . .  for 
they  shall  pass  through  it  perplexed  and  famished  ;  and  it  shall 
come  to  pass  that  when  they  shall  hunger  they  shall  be  indignant, 
and  shall  curse  their  king  and  their  gods,  and  shall  look  upwards  ; 
they  shall  look  also  to  the  earth,  but  behold  straitness  and  thick 
darkness"  (viii.  ig-22). 

This  treats  of  those  who  are  in  falsities  from  lack  of  knowledges 
of  truth  and  good,  and  their  indignation  on  that  account  ;  the  lack 
is  described  by  "  they  shall  look  upwards,  and  they  shall  look 
also  to  the  earth,  but  behold  straitness  and  thick  darkness,"  "to 
look  upwards  and  to  look  to  the  earth  "  means  to  look  every- 
where for  goods  and  truths  ;  "  but  behold  straitness  and  thick  dark- 
ness" means  that  these  are  nowhere  to  be  found,  but  mere  falsities 
only,  "thick  darkness"  meaning  dense  falsity.  Their  indignation 
on  this  account  is  meant  by  "it  shall  come  to  pass  that  when  they 
shall  hunger  they  shall  be  indignant,  and  shall  curse  their  king 
and  their  gods,"  "to  hunger"  meaning  to  desire  to  know, 
"king"  falsity,  "the  gods"  falsities  of  worship  therefrom,  and 
"to  curse"  to  detest.     [14.1    In  Lamentations  : 

"  Lift  up  thy  hands  to  the  Lord  respecfting  the  soul  of  thy  young  chil- 
dren, who  have  fainted  for  famine  at  the  head  of  every  street "  (ii.  ig). 

Lamentation  over  those  who  ought  to  be  instructed  in  know- 
ledges of  good  and  truth,  by  which  spiritual  life  is  attained,  is  de- 
scribed by  "  Lift  up  thy  hands  to  the  Lord  respe6ting  the  soul  of 
thy  children  ;"  and  the  lack  of  these  knowledges  is  described 
by  "who  have  fainted  for  famine  at  the  head  of  every  street,"^ 
"famine"  meaning  lack,  "streets"  truths  of  do(5trine,  "to  faint 
at  the  head  of  them"  meaning  that  there  are  no  truths.  [15.]  In; 
the  same, 

"  Servants  have  ruled  over  us,  there  is  no  one  to  deliver  us  out  of  their 


8oo  ArocAi.Yi'si:  k\1'i.aim:i). 

hand.  We  gel  our  bread  with  the  peril  of  our  souls  because  of  the 
sword  of  the  desert.  Our  skins  are  black  like  an  oven  because  of 
the  tempests  of  famine"  (v.  8-10). 

"Servants  that  have  ruled  with  no  one  to  deliver  out  of  their 
hand"  signify  evils  of  life  and  falsities  of  doctrine,  in  general, 
evil  loves  and  false  principles  ;  "  we  get  our  bread  with  the  peril 
of  our  souls  because  of  the  sword  of  the  desert"  signifies  that 
there  is  no  good  that  constitutes  true  spiritual  life,  because 
of  the  falsity  everywhere  reigning;  "bread"  means  the  good 
that  constitutes  spiritual  life;  "sword"  falsity  destroying;  and 
"desert"  where  there  is  no  good  because  no  truth  ;  for  all  good 
with  man  is  formed  by  truths,  therefore  where  there  are  no 
truths  but  only  falsities  good  is  not  possible.  "Our  skins  are 
black  like  an  oven  because  of  the  tempests  of  famine"  signifies 
that  because  of  the  lack  of  knowledges  of  good  and  truth  the 
natural  man  is  in  its  own  evil  love  ;  "  the  skin,"  from  corre- 
spondence with  the  Greater  Man  or  heaven,  signifies  the  natural 
man  ;  "to  be  black  like  an  oven"  signifies  to  be  in  on°'s  own 
evil  from  falsities  ;  and  "tempests  of  famine"  signify  a  complete 
lack  of  knowledges  of  good  and  truth.     [16.]    In  L?(ke: 

"  Woe  unto  you  that  are  full !  for  ye  shall  hunger"  (vi.  25). 

"  The  full "  in  the  Word  mean  those  who  have  the  Word,  in  w.\  \.-:h 
are  all  the  knowledges  of  good  and  truth;  and  "to  hunger" 
means  to  lack  these,  and  also  to  be  deprived  of  them.     In  yo^. 

"  Blessed  is  the  man  whom  God  hath  chastened  ;  therefore  despise  not  thf 

discipline  of  the  Almighty In  famine  He  shall  redeem  thee 

from  death  ;  and  in  war  from  the  hands  of  the  sword"  (v.  17,  20). 

This  treats  of  those  who  are  in  temptations ;  temptations  aro 
signified  by  "whom  God  hath  chastened,"  and  by  "the  discipline- 
of  the  Almighty."  "The  Almighty  (Schadda^)"  signifies  tempta- 
tions, deliverance  from  them,  and  consolation  after  them  (seeA.c, 
n.  1992,  3667,  4572,  5628,  6229).  "The  famine"  in  which  he  shall  be 
redeemed  signifies  temptation  in  respe6l  to  perception  of  good. 
in  which  he  shall  be  delivered  from  evil ;  "to  redeem"  meaning 
to  deliver ;  and  "  the  hand  of  the  sword  in  war"  signifies  tempta- 
tions in  respeft  to  understanding  of  truth,  "war"  also  meaning 
temptation  or  combat  against  falsities. 

[€l.]  [17.]  (iii.)  T/iaf  "famine''''  iri  the  Word  also  signifieis 
ignorance  of  knowledges  of  truth  and  good,  such  as  those  are  in 
who  know  that  there  d^e  knowledges  and  therefore  desire  them,  is 
evident  from  the  following  passages.     In  Matthew  : 

"  Blessed  are  they  that  hunger . . .  after  righteousness,  for  they  shall  be 
filled  "(v.  6). 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE   8. — N.  386[^].  SOI 

"  To  hunger  after  righteousness  "  signifies  to  desire  good,  for  in 
the  Word  "righteousness"  is  predicated  of  good.     In  Luke: 

"  God  hath  filled  the  hungry  with  good  things  ;  and  the  rich  He  hath  sent 
empty  away  "  (i.  53). 

"The  hungry"  are  those  who  are  ignorant  of  knowledges  of 
truth  and  good,  and  yet  desire  them ;  and  "the  rich"  are  those 
who  have  an  abundance  of  them,  but  no  desire  for  them.  That 
the  former  are  enriched  is  signified  by  "  God  fiUeth  them  with 
good  things ;"  and  that  the  latter  are  deprived  of  them  is  sig- 
nified by  "  God  sendeth  them  away  empty."    [18.]  In  David  : 

"Behold,  the  eye  of  Jehovah  is  upon  them  that  fear  Him to  deliver 

their  soul  from  death,  and  to  keep  them  alive  in  famine  "  {Psalm 
xxxiii.  18,  ig). 

"  Those  that  fear  Jehovah  "  nliean  those  who  love  to  do  His  com- 
mandments ;  "  to  deliver  the  soul  from  death  "  signifies  from  evils 
and  falsities,  and  thus  from  damnation  ;  and  "to  keep  them  alive 
in  famine"  signifies  to  give  spiritual  life  according  to  desire.  A 
desire  for  knowledges  of  truth  and  good  is  a  spiritual  affe6tion  for 
truth,  which  is  possible  only  to  those  who  are  in  good  of  life,  that 
is,  who  do  the  Lord's  commandments  ;  and  these,  as  has  been 
said,  are  meant  by  "  those  that  fear  Jehovah."   [19.]   In  the  same, 

"  Let  them  confess  to  Jehovah  His  mercy, ....  for  He  satisfieth  the  long- 
ing soul,  and  the  hungry  soul  He  fiUeth  with  good"  {Fsalm  cvii. 
8.  q). 

"  To  satisfy  the  longing  soul,  and  to  fill  with  good  the  hungry 
soul,"  applies  to  those  who  long  for  truths  and  goods,  "longing 
soul"  signifying  those  who  long  for  truths,  and  "hungry  soul" 
those  who  long  for  goods.     In  the  same, 

"There  is  no  want  to  them  that  fear"  Jehovah.  "The  young  lions  shall 
lack,  and  suffer  hunger  ;  but  they  that  seek  Jehovah  shall  not  want 
any  good  "  {Psalm  xxxiv.  9,  10). 

Here,  too,  "those  that  fear  Jehovah,"  to  whom  there  is  no  want, 
signify  those  who  love  to  do  the  Lord's  commandments  ;  and 
"they  that  seek  Jehovah,"  who  shall  not  want  any  good,  signify 
those  who  in  consequence  are  loved  by  the  Lord,  and  receive 
truths  and  goods  from  Him.  "  The  young  lions,"  that  lack  and 
suffer  hunger,  signify  those  who  have  knowledge  and  wisdom  from 
themselves,  "to  lack  and  suffer  hunger"  meaning  that  they  have 

neither  truth  nor  good.     (What "  lions"  in  both  senses  signify,  see  n.  2'/Sib,c].) 

[20.]    In  the  same, 

Jehovah  "  who  executeth  judgment  for  the  oppressed ;  who  giveth  bread 
to  the  hungr>  ;  Jehovah  who  looseth  the  bound"  (Psalm  cxlvi.  7). 


S02  APOCALYPSK    EXPLAINKD. 

The  "oppressed"  here  mean  those  who  are  in  falsities  from  ignor- 
ance ;  such  are  oppressed  by  spirits  who  are  in  falsities ;  there- 
fore it  is  said  that  "Jehovah  executeth  judgment  for  them,"  by- 
rescuing  them  from  those  that  oppress.  "The  hungry"  mean 
those  who  desire  goods ;  and  as  such  are  nourished  by  the  Lord 
it  is  said  "Jehovah  giveth  bread  to  the  hungry,  "togive  bread" 
meaning  to  nourish,  and  spiritual  nourishment  is  knowledge,  intel- 
ligence, and  wisdom.  "  The  bound  "  mean  those  who  desire  truths 
but  are  withheld  from  them  by  falsities  of  do6lrine  or  by  ignor- 
ance, because  they  have  not  the  Word  ;  therefore  "to  loose  the 

bound"  means  to  free  from  falsities.     (That  such  are  called  "  bound,"  see 

A.c,  n.  5037,  5086, 5096.)     [21.]    In  the  same, 

Jehovah  "  turneth  the  desert  into  a  lake  of  waters,  and  a  land  of  dryness 
into  a  springing  forth  of  waters.  And  there  He  maketh  the  hungry 
to  dwell,  that  they  may  build  a  city  of  habitation,  and  sow  fields,  and 
plant  vineyards,  and  make  fruit  of  increase  "  (Psalm  cvii.  35-37). 

The  meaning  of  these  words  is  wholly  difierent  from  the  sense 
of  the  letter,  namely,  that  those  who  are  ignorant  of  knowledg- 
es of  truth  and  yet  desire  to  know  them  shall  be  enriched  and 
abundantly  supplied  with  them  ;  for  "Jehovah  turneth  the  desert 
into  a  lake  of  water"  signifies  that  in  place  of  ignorance  of  truth 
there  shall  be  abundance  of  truth,  "desert"  meaning  where  there 
is  ignorance  of  truth,  and  "lake  of  waters  "  abundance  of  it.  "  To- 
turn  a  land  of  dryness  into  a  springing  forth  of  waters  "  signifies 
the  same  in  the  natural  man,  for  "land  of  dryness"  means  where 
there  is  ignorance  of  truth,  "springing  forth  of  waters"  abund- 
ance, the  natural  man  is  "the  springing  forth,"  and  "waters"  are 
truths.  "There  He  maketh  the  hungry  to  dwell"  signifies  those 
who  desire  truth,  "to  dwell"  meaning  to  live,  and  "the  hungry" 
those  who  desire.  "  That  they  may  build  a  city  of  habitation  " 
signifies  that  they  may  form  for  themselves  a  do6trine  of  life, 
"  city  "  meaning  doclrine,  and  "  habitation  "  life.  "  That  they  may 
sow  fields  and  plant  vineyards,  and  make  fruit  of  increase,"  sig- 
nifies to  receive  truths,  to  understand  them,  and  to  do  them,  "to 
sow  fields"  meaning  to  be  instru6i:ed  and  to  receive  truths,  "to 
plant  vineyards"  meaning  to  receive  truths  in  the  understanding, 
that  is,  in  spirit,  for  "vineyards"  mean  spiritual  truths  ;  therefore 
"to  plant"  them  means  to  receive  them  spiritually,  that  is,  to 
understand  them  ;  "to  make  fruit  of  increase"  means  to  do  them 
and  to  receive  goods,  for  "fruits"  are  the  deeds  and  goods  of 
charity.     [22.]    In  the  same, 

"Jehovah  knoweth  the  days  of  the  perfedl,  and  shall  be  their  inheritance 
for  ever.  They  shall  not  be  ashamed  in  the  time  of  evil ;  and  in 
the  days  of  famine  they  shall  be  satisfied"  {Psalm  xxxvii.  18,  ig\ 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE   8. — N.    2>^6lcf].  803 

"'Days  of  the  perfect"  signify  the  states  of  those  who  are  ingood 
and  in  truths  therefrom,  that  is,  those  who  are  in  charity  and  in 
faith  therefrom.  "Jehovah  shall  be  their  inheritance  forever"  sig- 
nifies that  they  are  His  own  and  are  in  heaven  ;  "they  shall  not 
be  ashamed  in  the  time  of  evil"  signifies  that  they  shall  conquer 
when  they  are  tempted  b\'  e\'ils  ;  and  "in  the  days  of  famine  they 
shall  be  satisfied"  signifies  that  they  shall  be  upheld  by  truths 
when  they  are  tempted  and  infested  by  falsities,  "time  of  evil "  and 
"  days  of  famine"  signifying  states  of  temptations,  and  temptations 
are  from  evils  and  falsities.    [23.]  In  the  J^irsi  Book  of  Samuel : 

"The  bows  of  the  mighty  are  broken,  but  they  who  had  been  driven 
have  girded  strength  about  them ;  they  that  are  full  have  hired 
themselves  for  bread  ;  and  they  that  are  hungry  have  ceased  ;  even 
until  the  barren  hath  borne  seven,  and  she  that  hath  many  children 
hath  failed  "  (ii.  4,  5). 

^'They  that  are  full  have  hired  themselves  for  bread,  and  they  that 
are  hungry  have  ceased,"  signify  those  who  wish  for  and  long  for 
goods  and  truths.     The  rest  may  be  seen  explained  above  (n.  257 

and  357M).     [24.]    \x\  Isaiah  : 

"For  the  fool  speaketh  foolishness,  and  his  heart  worketh  iniquity,  to 
pra6lise  hypocrisy,  and  to  utter  error  against  Jehovah,  to  make 
empty  the  hungry  soul,  and  to  cause  the  drink  of  the  thirsty  to 
fail "  (xxxii.  6). 

He  is  here  called  "a  fool"  who  is  in  falsities  and  evils  from  love 
of  self  consequently  from  self-intelligence.  Falsities  are  meant 
by  the  "  foolishness  "  that  he  speaks  ;  and  evils  by  the  "  iniquit)- " 
that  his  heart  works.  The  evils  that  he  speaks  against  goods  are 
meant  by  "  the  hypocrisy  "  that  he  practises  ;  and  the  falsities  that 
he  speaks  against  truths,  by  the  "error"  that  he  utters  against 
Jehovah;  "to  make  empty  the  hungry  soul,  and  to  cause  the 
drink  of  the  thirsty  to  fail"  means  to  convince  and  destroy  those 
who  desire  goods  and  truths,  "the  hungry  soul"  meaning  those 
who  desire  goods,  and  "he  that  thirsteth  for  drink"  meaning 
those  who  desire  truths.     [25.]    In  the  same, 

"  If  thou  shalt  draw  out  thy  soul  to  the  hungry  and  satisfy  the  affli6led 
soul,  thy  light  shall  arise  in  obscurity  and  thy  darkness  be  as  the 
noonday  "  (Iviii.  10). 

This  describes  charity  towards  the  neighbor,  here  towards  those 
who  are  in  ignorance,  but  at  the  same  time  in  a  desire  to  know 
truths,  and  in  grief  on  account  of  the  falsities  that  possess  them, 
and  signifies  that  with  those  who  are  in  such  charity  falsities 
are  dispersed  and  truths  become  clear  and  radiant.  Charit}'  to- 
wards those  that  are  in  ignorance  and  at  the  same  time  in  a  de- 
sire to  know  truths  is  meant  by  "  If  thou  shalt  draw  out  thy  soul 


804  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

to  the  hungry,"  "the  hungry"  meaning  those  who  desire,  and 
"the  soul"  understanding  of  truth  instructing.  This  being  done 
to  those  who  are  in  grief  because  of  the  falsities  that  possess  them 
is  meant  by  "  if  tliou  shalt  satisfy  the  affli6led  soul;"  that  ignor- 
ance is  dispelled  and  truths  become  clear  and  radiant  with  those 
who  are  in  such  charity  is  meant  by  "thy  light  shall  arise  in  ob- 
scurity, and  thy  darkness  be  as  the  noonday,"  "obscurity"  signi- 
fying the  ignorance  of  the  spiritual  mind,  and  "darkness"  the  ig- 
norance of  the  natural  mind,  "light "  truth  in  light,  "  noonday  "  the 
same.  Such  enlightenment  those  have  who  from  charity  or  spir- 
itual affe<5lion  instru6l  such  as  are  in  falsities  from  ignorance ;  for 
such  charity  is  a  receptacle  of  the  infl-ux  of  light  or  truth  from  the 
Lord.     [26.]    In  the  same, 

"Is  not  this  the  fast  that  I  choose, ....  to  break  thy  bread  to  the  hungrry* 
and  to  bring  the  afflidled  outcasts  into  thy  house,  when  thou  shalt 
see  the  naked  and  shalt  cover  him  ?"  (Iviii.  6,  7.) 

These  words  have  a  like  meaning,  for  "  to  break  bread  to  the  hun- 
gry" signifies  from  charity  to  communicate  to  and  instru<5l  those 
who  are  in  ignorance  and  at  the  same  time  in  a  desire  to  know 
truths.  "  To  bring  the  afflidled  outcasts  into  the  house"  signifies 
to  corre6l  and  reform  those  who  are  in  falsities,  and  thus  in  grief, 
"affli6led  outcasts  "  meaning  those  who  are  in  grief  from  falsities  ; 
for  those  who  are  in  falsities  stand  without,  while  those  who  are 
in  truths  are  in  the  house,  "house"  meaning  the  intelledlual  mind, 
into  which  truths  only  are  admitted,  since  that  mind  is  opened 
by  means  of  truths  from  good.  Because  this  is  what  is  signi- 
fied it  is  added,  "when  thou  shalt  see  the  naked  and  shalt  cover 
him,"  the  "naked"  signifying  those  that  are  without  truths,  and 
"to  cover"  signifying  to  instruct;  for  "garments"  in  the  Word 
signifies  truths  investing  (see  above,  n.  195).    [27.]  In  the  same, 

"  They  shall  not  hunger  nor  thirst,  neither  shall  the  heat  or  the  sun 
smite  them  ;  for  He  that  hath  mercy  on  them  leadeth  them,  even 
unto  the  springs  of  waters  shall  He  guide  them  "  (xlix.  10). 

That  "they  shall  not  hunger  nor  thirst"  does  not  mean  that  they 
are  not  to  hunger  nor  thirst  for  natural  food  and  drink ;  and 
"  neither  shall  the  heat  or  sun  smite  them  "  does  not  mean  that 
thev  will  not  become  heated  by  these ;  the  same  is  true  of  their 
being  led  unto  the  springs  of  waters.  Who  that  thinks  about  it 
does  not  see  that  something  else  ;s  here  meant?  "To  hunger 
and  thirst"  therefore  signifies  to  hunger  and  thirst  for  such  thinq^s 
as  pertain  to  eternal  life  or  give  that  life,  and  these,  in  general, 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE  8. — N.   386[.f].  805 

have  reference  to  good  of  love  and  truth  of  faith,  "  hunger " 
to  good  of  love,  and  "thirst"  to  truth  of  faith;  "heat"  and 
"sun"  signify  the  heat  from  principles  of  falsity  and  love  of  evil, 
for  these  take  away  all  spiritual  hunger  and  thirst;  "the  springs 
of  waters,"  unto  which  the  Lord  will  guide  them,  signify  enlight- 
enment in  all  truth,  "spring"  or  "fountain"  meaning  the  Word, 
also  do6lrine  from  the  Word,  "waters"  truths,  and  "to  guide," 
in  reference  to  the  Lord,  meaning  to  enlighten.  From  all  this 
the  significance  can  be  seen  of  the  Lord's  words  in  John : 

"  I  am  the  bread  of  life  ;  he  that  cometh  to  Me  shall  not  hunger,  and 
he  that  believeth  on  Me  shall  never  thirst "  (vi.  35). 

Here  evidently  "to  hunger"  is  to  come  to  the  Lord,  and  "to 
thirst "  is  to  believe  on  Him ;  to  come  to  the  Lord  is  to  do  His 
commandments.  [28.]  This  signification  of  "hungering  and 
thirsting  "  makes  evident  also  the  signification  of  the  Lord's  words 
in  Matthew: 

"  The  king  said  to  them  on  the  right  hand, ....  I  was  an  hungered,  and 
ye  gave  Me  to  eat,  I  was  thirsty  and  ye  gave  Me  to  drink,  I  was 
a  sojourner  and  ye  took  Me  in."  And  He  said  to  them  on  the 
left  hand,  that  he  was  an  hungered  and  they  gave  Him  not  to  eat, 
that  He  was  thirsty  and  they  gave  Him  not  to  drink,  that  He 
was  a  sojourner  and  they  took  Him  not  in  (xxv.  34,  35,  37, 41-44). 

"To  hunger  and  to  thirst  "signifies  to  be  in  ignorance  and  in  .spir- 
itual want,  and  "to  give  to  eat  and  drink"  signifies  to  instru6l  and 
to  enlighten  from  spiritual  affedlion  or  charity  ;  it  is  therefore  ad- 
ded, "  I  was  a  sojourner,  and  ye  took  me  not  in,"  "  sojourner"  sig- 
nifying those  who  are  out  of  the  church,  but  who  wish  to  be  in- 
struded  and  to  receive  the  dodlrinals  of  the  church  and  to  live 
according  to  them  (see  A.C.,  n.  1463,  4444,  7908,  8007,  8013, 9196). 

[c]  Furthermore,  we  read  in  the  Word  that  the  Lord 
hungered  and  thirsted,  which  means  that  from  His  Divine  Love 
He  willed  and  desired  the  salvation  of  the  human  race.  [29.] 
That  He  hungered  we  read  in  Mark: 

"  When  they  were  come  from  Bethany,"  Jesus  "  hungered  ;  and  seeing  a 
fig  tree  afar  off  having  leaves.  He  came,  if  haply  He  might  find 
anything  thereon  ;  but  when  He  had  come  to  it  He  found  nothing 
but  leaves,  for  it  was  not  the  season  for  figs."  "  Therefore  He  said 
unto  it,  No  man  eat  any  fruit  of  thee  forever."  And  the  disciples 
"  in  the  morning  as  they  passed  by,  saw  the  fig  tree  dried  up  from 
the  roots  "  (xi.  12-14,  20 ;  MaU.  xxi.  19,  20). 

One  who  does  not  know  that  all  things  of  the  Word  contain  a 
spiritual  sense,  may  suppose  that  the  Lord  did  this  to  the  fig-tree 
in  indignation  because  he  was  hungry ;  but  "  fig  tree  "  means  here 


8o6  APOCALYPSE  EXPLAINED. 

not  a  fig  tree,  but  the  church  in  relation  to  natural  good,  and,  in 
particular,  the  Jewish  Church.  That  there  was  no  natural  good  in 
that  church,  because  nothing  spiritual,  but  only  .some  truths  from 
the  .sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word,  is  signified  by  "Jesus  seeing  a 
tig  tree  afar  off  having  leaves,  came,  if  haply  He  might  find  anv- 
thing  thereon  ;  but  when  He  had  come  to  it  He  found  nothing  Ijut 
leaves,"  "leaves"  signifying  the  truths  of  the  sense  of  the  letter 
of  the  Word.  That  with  that  nation,  because  they  were  in  dense 
falsities  and  in  evil  loves,  nothing  whatever  of  the  natural  good 
of  the  church  would  ever  exist  is  signified  by  "Jesus  said.  No 
man  eat  any  fruit  of  thee  forever,  and  the  fig  tree  was  dried  up 
from  the  roots."  It  is  also  said  that  "it  was  not  the  season  for 
figs,"  and  this  means  that  the  church  was  not  yet  begun  ;  that  the 
beginning  of  a  new  church  is  meant  by  "a  fig  tree,"  is  clear  from 
the  Lord's  words 

(in  Matt.  xxiv.  32,  33 ;  Mark  xiii.  28,  29  ;  and  in  Luke  xxi.  28-31). 
From  this  it  can  be  seen  what  "hungering"  here  signifies.     (That 

"a  fig  tree"  signifies  the  natural  good  of  the  church,  see^.C,  n.  217,  4231,  5113; 
and  that  "leaves"  signify  the   truths  of  the  natural  man,  see  above,   n.    IO9.) 

[30.]    That  the  Lord  thirsted  we  read  in  yohn: 

"Jesus,  knowing  that  all  things  were  now  finished,  that  the  Scripture 
might  be  fulfilled  said,  I  thirst.  And  there  had  been  placed  a  ves- 
sel full  of  vinegar ;  and  they  filled  a  sponge  and  placed  it  upon  a 
hyssop-stalk,  and  put  it  to  His  mouth.  And  when  Jesus  had  re- 
ceived the  vinegar  He  said.  It  is  finished"  (xix.  28-30). 

Those  who  think  of  these  things  only  naturally  and  not  spiritually 
ma>'  believe  that  they  involve  nothing  more  than  that  the  Lord 
thirsted,  and  that  vinegar  was  then  given  Him  ;  but  it  was  because 
all  things  that  the  Scriptures  said  of  Him  were  then  finished,  and 
because  He  came  into  the  world  to  save  mankind,  that  He  said, 
"I  thirst,"  which  means  that  from  Divine  Love  He  willed  and 
desired  the  salvation  of  the  human  race;  and  that  "vinegar  was 
given  Him  "  signifies  that  in  the  coming  church  there  would  l)e 
no  genuine  truth,  but  truth  mixed  with  falsities,  such  as  there  is 
with  those  who  separate  faith  from  charity  or  truth  from  good 
this  is  what  "vinegar"  signifies  ;  "they  placed  it  upon  a  hyssop- 
stalk"  signifies  some  kind  of  purification  by  it,  for  "  hyssop"  sig- 
nifies external  means  of  piu'ification  (see  A.C.,  n.  7918).  That  every 
particular  related  in  the  Word  respe(!:ting  the  Lord's  passion  in- 
volves and  signifies  Divine  celestial  and  Divine  spiritual  things, 
may  be  seen  above  (n.  83).  From  the  passages  cited  above  it  can 
be  seen  what  "famine"  signifies  in  the  Word.     Let  them  be  ex- 


CHAP.   VI.,   VERSE   8. — N.  38S[a].  807 

amined  and  considered,  and  it  will  he  seen  by  those  who  are  in 
any  interior  thought  tiiat  natural  famine,  hunger,  and  thirst  can 
by  no  means  be  meant,  but  spiritual  famine,  hunger,  and  thirst 
must  be  meant. 

387.  "And  with  death"  signifies  consequent  extin£lion  of 
spiritual  life. — This  is  evident  from  the  signification  of  "death," 
as  meaning  extinction  of  spiritual  life  (see  above,  n.  78,  186).  That 
this  is  what  "death"  here  signifies  is  evident  from  the  connection 
of  things  in  the  internal  sense  ;  for  it  is  said  that  "  there  was  given 
unto  them  power  to  kill  with  .sword,  with  famine,  and  with  death  ;" 
and  "sword"  signifies  falsity  destroying  truth,  "famine"  the  loss 
of  knowledges  of  truth  and  good  ;  thus  "death"  signifies  extinc- 
tion of  spiritual  life  ;  for  where  falsity  reigns,  and  where  there  are 
no  knowledges  of  truth  and  good,  there  is  no  spiritual  life,  for 
spiritual  life  is  acquired  by  means  of  the  knowledges  of  truth  and 
good  applied  to  the  uses  of  life.  For  man  is  born  into  all  evil 
and  falsity  from  evil ;  he  is  therefore  born  also  into  an  entire 
ignorance  of  all  spiritual  knowledges ;  therefore  in  order  that  he 
may  be  led  away  from  the  evils  and  consequent  falsities  into 
•which  he  is  born,  and  be  led  into  the  light  of  heaven  and  be 
saved,  he  must  needs  acquire  knowledges  of  truth  and  good,  by 
means  of  which  he  can  be  led  into  spiritual  life  and  become  spir- 
itual. From  this  conne6iion  of  things  in  the  internal  sense  it  is 
evident  that  "  death  "  here  signifies  extinction  of  spiritual  life  ;  this 
is  meant,  too,  by  spiritual  death. 

388[«].  "And  by  the  wild  beasts  of  the  earth  "  signifies  evils 
of  life,  which  are  lusts  and  falsities  therefrom  springing  from  love 
•of  self  and  of  the  world,  which  devastate  all  things  of  the  chu7'ch 
with  man. — This  is  evident  from  the  signification  of  "  wild  beasts," 
as  meaning  the  lusts  and  falsities  that  spring  from  love  of  self  and 
the  world  ;  and  because  these  are  veritable  evils  of  life,  since 
an  evil  life  is  a  life  of  lusts  and  falsities,  these  are  here  meant  bv 
"the  wild  beasts  of  the  earth;"  that  this  is  the  signification  of 
"  wild  beasts  "  will  be  seen  in  what  follows.  Also  from  the  signi- 
fication of  "the  earth,"  as  meaning  the  church  (of  which  see  above,  n. 
29,304);  and  as  "wild  beasts"  signify  evils  of  life,  and  these 
•devastate  the  church  with  man,  and  "  the  earth "  signifies  the 
church,  so  the  "  wild  beasts  of  the  earth  "  signify  evils  of  life  which 
devastate  the  church  with  man.  It  is  said  the  church  with  man, 
because  the  church  is  in  man  ;  for  a  church  is  a  church  from 
charity  and  faith,  and  these  are  in  man  ;  if  these  are  not  in  him, 
the  church  is  not  with  him.  It  is  believed  that  the  church  is 
where  the  Word  is,  and  where  the  Lord  is  known  ;  but  the  church 


8o8  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

consists  of  those  only  who  from  the  heart  acknowledge  the  Divine 
of  the  Lord,  and  who  learn  truths  from  the  Lord  by  the  Word 
and  do  them;  no  others  constitute  the  church.  That  "wild 
beasts  of  the  earth  "  here  signify,  in  particular,  evils  of  life  can  be 
seen  from  the  conne6lion  of  things  in  the  internal  sense.  It  is 
said  that  "  there  was  given  unto  them  power  over  the  fourth  part 
of  the  earth,  to  kill  with  sword,  with  famine,  with  death,  and  by 
the  wild  beasts  of  the  earth,"  "sword"  signifying  falsity  destroy- 
ing truth,  "famine"  the  loss  of  knowledges  of  truth  and  good, 
"death"  the  extindlion  of  spiritual  life  ;  therefore  "  the  wild  beasts 
of  the  earth  "  signify  evils  of  life,  since  tliese  rule  when  spiritual 
life  is  extin6t,  for  where  there  is  no  spiritual  life  there  life  is  merely 
natural,  and  natural  life  apart  from  the  spiritual  is  full  of  lusts  from 
the  love  of  self  and  the  world,  thus  is  infernal ;  therefore  tliat  life 
is  meant  by  "evil  wild  beast."  [2.]  Moreover,  in  respect  to  the 
evil  life  that  is  signified  by  "the  evil  wild  beast,"  such  may  be  the 
life  of  those  who  lead  a  good  moral  life,  if  they  ha\e  no  spiritual 
life  ;  for  such  do  good  and  speak  truth  and  practice  sincerit\-  and 
righteousness,  but  only  because  of  reputation,  honor,  gain,  and 
the  laws,  thus  for  the  sake  of  appearance,  that  they  may  emulate 
those  who  are  spiritual,  while  inwardly  they  have  no  desire  for 
good  and  give  no  thought  to  truth  and  laugh  at  sincerity  and 
righteousness,  unless  withheld  by  the  above  considerations  ;  conse- 
quently they  are  infernal  within.  This  is  clearly  manifest  when  such 
persons  become  spirits,  which  takes  place  immediately  after  death  ; 
then  the  external  bonds  mentioned  above  are  taken  awav  from 
them,  and  they  then  rush  without  restraint  into  evils  of  e\er\-  kind. 
But  it  is  otherwise  with  those  who  have  led  a  good  moral  life  from 

a    spiritual    origin.        (On  this  subje<5t  see  further  in  Heaven  and  Hell.  n.  484, 

529-531,  534;  and  above,  n.  182.)  This  has  been  said  to  make  known 
what  is  meant  by  an  evil  life,  namely,  that  it  is  not  the  external  life 
that  pertains  to  the  body  and  has  reference  to  the  world  w  liere  men 
are,  which  is  called  the  natural  world,  but  is  the  internal  life  that 
pertains  to  the  spirit  and  has  reference  to  the  world  where  angels 
are,  which  is  called  the  spiritual  world.  For  in  respect  to  his  body, 
with  its  gestures  and  speech,  man  is  in  the  natural  world,  but  in 
respect  to  his  spirit,  that  is,  in  respecl  to  thought  and  affection,  man 
is  in  the  spiritual  world  ;  in  fa6t:,  as  the  bodily  sight  has  extension 
into  the  natural  world  and  sweeps  about  there,  so  the  sight  of  the 
spirit,  which  is  thought  from  affe<5tion,  has  extension  into  the  spir- 
itual world  and  sweeps  about  there.  That  this  is  so  is  known  to- 
few  ;  and  it  is  therefore  believed  that  thinking  evil  and  willing  evil 
is  of  no  consequence  if  only  one  abstains  from  evil  doing  and  evil 


CHAP.   VI.,  VERSE    8. — N.   38S[3J.  809 

speaking ;  and  yet  every  thought  and  volition  affedls  the  spirit  of 
man  and  makes  up  his  Hfe  after  death. 

[&•]  [3.]  That  "  evil  wild  beasts  '*  signify  the  lusts  and  falsities 
from  them  springing  from  love  of  self  and  the  world,  that  devastate 
all  things  of  the  church  with  man,  and  in  a  contrary  sense  signify 
also  the  afife(?tions  for  truth  that  vivify  all  things  ol  the  church,  can 
be  seen  from  the  following  passages  in  the  Word.     In  yeremiah: 

**  Go  ye,  assemble  every  wild  beast  of  the  field  ;  come  to  devour.  Many 
shepherds  have  destroyed  My  vineyard ;  they  have  trodden  My 
field  under  foot,  they  have  made  the  field  of  desire  a  desert  of  soli- 
tude "  (xii.  9,  10). 

This  treats  of  the  vastation  of  the  church  in  respe6l  to  its  truths 
and  its  goods.  Vastation  is  described  by  "the  shepherds  have 
destroyed  the  vineyard  of  the  Lord,"  and  "have  trodden  His  field 
under  foot;"  "shepherds"  mean  those  who  teach  truths,  and  by 
means  of  them  lead  to  good  of  life  ;  here  those  who  teach  falsities 
and  by  means  of  them  lead  to  evil  of  life;  "vineyard"  means 
the  church  in  respedl  to  truths  ;  and  "field"  the  church  in  respedl 
to  good;  its  vastation  is  meant  by  "have  destroyed"  and  "have 
trodden  under  foot,"  also  by  "they  have  made  the  field  a  desert 
of  solitude."  And  as  lusts  and  falsities  springing  from  love  of 
self  and  the  world  devastate  it,  it  is  said,  "Go  ye,  assemble  every 
wild  beast  of  the  field;  come  to  devour,"  "every  wild  beast  of 
the  field"  signifying  the  falsities  and  lusts  springing  from  those 
loves,  and  "to  devour"  signifying  to  devastate  and  consume. 
"Wild  beast  of  the  field"  does  not  mean  evidently  a  wild  beast 
of  the  field,  for  it  is  said  "shepherds  have  destroyed  the  vineyard, 
and  trodden  the  field  under  foot;"  and  "shepherds"  mean  shep- 
herds (pastors)  of  the  church,  and  not  shepherds  of  the  flock, 
[4.]  In  David  : 

"  The  boar  out  of  the  wood  treadeth  under  foot  (thy  vine),  and  the  wild 
beast  of  the  fields  doth  feed  on  it"  {Psabn  Ixxx.  13). 

"Vine"  here  signifies  the  same  as  "vineyard"  above,  namely,  a 

church  in  respe6l  to  truth,  which  is  called  a  spiritual  church ;  its 

vastation  by  lusts  and  falsities  of  the  natural  man  separated  from 

the  spiritual  is  meant  by  "  the  boar  out  of  the  wood  treadeth  it 

under  foot ;"  "the  boar  out  of  the  wood"  signifying  the  evil  lusts 

of  the  natural  man,  and  "the  wild  beast  of  the  field"  falsities. 

[5.]    In  Hosea  : 

'•  I  will  lay  Avaste  her  vine  and  her  fig  tree  ; and  I  will  make  them  a 

forest,  and  the  wild  beast  of  the  field  shall  eat  them  "  (ii.  12). 

"Vine"  and  "fig  tree"  signify  the  church,  "vine"  the  internal 
church  which  is  of  the  spiritual  man,  and  "fig  tree"  the  exter- 


iJio  ArocALVPSi",  i:xPLAiNi", r>. 

ternnl  church  whiili  i^  of  the  ivitur.il  man;  the  \'astation  of  both  \y 
signified  by  "  I  will  lay  them  waste,  and  make  them  a  forest ;  and 
the  wild  beast  of  the  field  shall  eat  them,"  "a  forest"  signifying  the 
sensual  man  who  is  in  mere  fallacies  and  in  falsities  therefrom,  and 
"wild  beast  of  the  field"  signifying  falsities  therefrom  and  evil 
lusts  ;  for  when  the  church  with  man  is  laid  waste,  that  is,  when 
the  truth  of  the  church  is  no  longer  believed,  man  becomes  sens- 
ual, believing  nothing  but  what  he  can  see  with  his  eyes  and  touch 
with  his  hands ;  and  such  a  man  gives  himself  up  wholly  to  love 
of  self  and  love  of  the  world,  thus  to  lusts.  That  the  church  is  here 
meant  by  "the  vine"  and  "fig  tree"  is  evident  from  the  second 
verse  of  the  same  chapter,  where  it  is  said  that  they  should  plead 
with  their  mother,  "for  she  is  not  my  wife,  and  I  am  not  her  hus- 
band," "mother"  and  "wife"  in  the  Word  signifying  the  church. 
[6.]    In  Moses : 

"  By  little  and  little  I  will  drive  out  the  "  nations,  "  lest  the  land  become 
a  solitude,  and  the  wild  beast  of  the  field  be  multiplied  against  thee  " 
(JLxod,  xxiii.  29,  30  ;  Deut.  vii.  22). 

What  this  signifies  can  be  seen  in  the  Arcana  Caelestia  (n.  9333-9338), 
namely,  that  "nations"  signify  the  evils  that  man  has,  even  those 
from  inheritance  ;  and  that  these  with  man  are  removed  "  by  little 
and  little,"  since  if  they  were  removed  suddenly,  before  good  is 
formed  in  him  by  truths,  falsities  would  enter  which  would  destroy 
him.  "The  wild  beasts  of  the  field"  signify  falsities  springing 
from  the  delights  of  natural  loves.     [7.]    In  the  same, 

■'If  ye  have  walked  in  My  statutes  and  have  kept  My  commandments 

and  done  them I  will  give  peace  in  the  land,  so  that  ye  may 

lie  down  securely,  and  none  make  afraid  ;  and  I  will  cause  the  evil 
wild  beast  to  cease  out  of  the  land,  and  the  sword  shall  not  go 

through  your  land But  if  ye  have  not  hearkened  unto  Me  and 

done  all  My  commandments, ....  I  will  send  among  you  the  wild 
beast  of  the  field,  which  shall  rob  you  of  your  children,  and  de- 
stroy your  cattle,  and  make  you  few  in  number,  that  your  ways 
may  be  laid  waste"  {Lev.  xxvi.  3,  6,  14,  22). 

This  describes  the  state  of  life  of  those  who  are  in  charity,  and  of 
those  who  are  not  in  charity.  The  life  of  charity  is  meant  by 
"  walking  in  the  statutes  and  keeping  the  commandments  and 
doing  them,"  for  this  is  charity  ;  the  state  of  their  life  is  described 
by  "  peace,"  by  "  they  shall  lie  down  securely,  and  none  make  them 
afraid,"  which  signifies  blessedness  of  heart  and  soul  arising  from 
conjundlion  of  good  and  truth,  whence  there  is  no  longer  any 
combat  of  evil  and  falsity  against  good  and  truth.  It  is  also  de- 
scribed by  "  I  will  cause  the  evil  beast  to  cease  out  of  the  land, 
and  the  sword  shall  not  go  through  it,"  which  signifies  that  there 
will  no  longer  be  any  lusts  or  falsities  springing  from  love  of  self 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE  8. — N.  388[<5].  8ll 

and  the  world,  "evil  wild  beast"  signifying  the  lusts  that  destroy 
good  affe(Sions,  and  "  sword  "  signifying  the  falsities  that  destroy 
truths.  That  those  who  are  not  in  charity  are  in  a  contrary  state 
is  described  by  "  if  ye  have  not  hearkened  unto  Me  and  done  all 
My  commandments,  I  will  send  among  you  the  wild  beast  of  the 
field,  which  shall  rob  you  of  your  children,  and  destroy  your  cat- 
tle, and  make  you  few  in  number,  that  your  ways  may  be  laid 
waste,"  which  signifies  that  by  lusts  and  falsities  from  them  they 
shall  be  deprived  of  every  good  and  truth.  The  lusts  and  falsi- 
ties therefrom  that  will  deprive  are  signified  by  "the  wild  beasts 
of  the  field  that  shall  rob  you  of  your  children  ;"  the  good  affec- 
tions of  which  they  will  be  deprived  are  signified  by  "the  cattle 
that  shall  be  destroyed  ;"  and  the  truths  themselves  therefrom  by 
their  "ways"  that  shall  be  laid  waste,  "ways"  meaning  the  truths 
that  lead  to  good.     [8.]    In  Ezekiel : 

"Then  I  will  make  with  them  a  covenant  of  peace,  and  will  cause  the 
evil  wild  beast  to  cease  out  of  the  land,  that  they  ma}'  dwell  trust- 
ingly in  the  wilderness,  and  sleep  in  the  woods They  shall 

no  more  be  a  prey  to  the  nations,  and  the  wild  beast  of  the  field 
shall  not  devour  them  ;  but  they  shall  dwell  trustingly,  and  none 
shall  make  afraid"  (xxxiv.  25,  28). 

This  treats  of  the  Lord's  coming  and  His  kingdom  at  that  time  ; 
what  is  signified  in  the  internal  sense,  can  be  seen  from  the  pas- 
sages just  now  explained,  where  many  like  words  occur  ;  "  the  evil 
wild  beast  in  the  land  "  signifies  lusts  ;  and  "  the  wild  beast  of  the 
field  "  falsities.     [9.]    In  Hosea  : 

"  I  will  meet  them  as  a  bear  that  is  bereaved  of  her  whelps,  and  I  will 
rend  the  caul  of  their  heart,  and  I  will  devour  them  like  a  fierce 
lion  ;  the  wild  beast  of  the  field  shall  tear  them  "  (xiii.  8). 

This  treats  of  the  vastation  of  good  by  falsity,  "a  bear  bereaved 
of  her  whelps"  signifying  the  power  of  evil  from  falsity,  and  "a 
fierce  lion"  the  power  of  falsity  from  evil,  and  "the  wild  beast  of 
the  field  "  lusts  and  falsities  ;  destru61;ion  by  these  is  signified  by 
"  the  wild  beast  shall  tear  them  ;"  the  separation  of  truth  from 
good  by  falsity  and  evil  is  signified  by  "  rending  the  caul  of  their 
heart."     [lO.]    In  Isaiah: 

"  No  lion  shall  be  there,  and  the  ravenous  of  the  wild  beasts  shall  not  go 
up  thither"  (xxxv.  9). 

This  chapter  treats  of  the  Lord's  coming,  and  the  state  of  those 
who  are  in  His  kingdom.  "No  lion  shall  be  there"  signifies  that 
there  shall  be  no  falsity  destroying  truth;  "the  ravenous  of  the 
wild  beasts  shall  not  go  up  thither  "  signifies  that  there  shall  be  nO' 
lust  of  destroying;  it  is  said  "shall  not  go  up  thither,"  because 
this  lust  is  from  hell. 


8l2  APOCALYPSE   EXPLAINED. 

[c]  [II.]  \r\  Zephaniah  : 

Jehovah  "will  stretch  out  His  hand  over  the  north,  and  will  destroy  As- 
syria;. .  .  .that  the  flocks  may  lie  down  in  the  midst  of  her,  every 
wild  beast  of  the  nation  ;  both  the  pelican  and  the  bittern  shall 

lodge  in  the  chapiters  thereof Such  is  the  city  that  dwelleth 

carelessly,  saying  in  her  heart,  I,  and  none  other  beside  me ;  how 
is  she  become  a  waste,  a  place  for  the  wild  beast  to  lie  down  in  !" 
(H.  13-15.^ 

This  treats  of  self- intelligence,  which  corroborates  falsities  and  evils 
by  reasonings  from  knowledges  (sciemifica),  and  by  applying  to 
them  things  from  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word.  "The 
north  "  signifies  the  natural  and  sensual  man,  and  the  knowing 
[faculty]  (scLentijicum)  that  belongs  to  it ;  and  "  Assyria  "  signifies 
reasoning  therefrom  ;  and  "saying  in  her  heart,  I,  and  none  other 
beside  me,"  signifies  self-intelligence.  This  makes  clear  what  is 
involved  in  these  particulars,  in  conne6lion,  namely,  "Jehovah 
will  stretch  out  His  hand  over  the  north,  and  will  destro)-  Assyria," 
signifies  that  He  will  deprive  such  a  natural  man,  and  its  power 
to  understand  and  reason,  of  all  perception  of  good  and  under- 
standing of  truth  ;  "the  flock  shall  lie  down  in  the  midst  of  her, 
every  wild  beast  of  the  nation  ;  both  the  pelican  and  the  bittern, 
shall  lodge  in  the  chapiters  thereof,"  signifies  that  there  shall  be 
falsities  of  evil  and  falsities  of  thought  and  perception  in  the  know- 
ledges from  the  Word  everywhere  therein,  "v\ild  beast  of  the 
nation"  meaning  falsity  of  evil,  "pelican  and  bittern  "  falsity  of 
thought  and  perception,  and  "chapiters"  knowledges  from  the 
Word.  "Such  is  the  city  that  dwelleth  carelessly,  saying  in  her 
heart,  I,  and  none  other  beside  me,"  signifies  that  such  intelligence 
trusts  in  itself  and  draws  only  from  self  [ex proprio),  "city"  signily- 
ing  doctrine  from  such  intelligence  ;  "how  is  she  become  a  waste, 
a  place  for  the  wild  beast  to  lie  down  in,"  signifies  that  it  is  full  of 
falsities,  with  nothing  of  truth  in  it.     [12.]    In  Ezekiel : 

"  Speak  unto  Pharaoh  king  of  Egypt,  and  to  his  multitude, ....  Asshur 
was  a  cedar  in  Lebanon, ...  .he  has  become  high  above  all  the  trees 
of  the  field  ; .  . . .  but  because  he  was  lifted  up  in  his  height,  and  hath 
set  his  top  among  the  thick  boughs, ....  therefore  strangers  shall 
cut  him  off,  the  violent  of  the  nations,  and  they  shall  cast  him 

down Upon  his  ruin  every  bird  of  the  heavens  shall  dwell, 

and  every  wild  beast  of  the  field  shall  be  upon  his  branches  "  (xxxi. 
2,  3,  5,  10,  12,  13). 

These  things  have  the  same  signification  as  those  above;  "Pha- 
raoh king  of  Egypt"  meaning  the  same  as  "the  north,"  namely, 
the  natural  man  and  the  knowing  [faculty]  {scicntificutn)  that  belongs 
to  it ;  "  Asshur"  reasoning  from  it ;  "  he  was  lifted  up  in  his  height, 
and  hath  set  his  top  among  the  thick  boughs,"  signifies  glor}'ing 


CHAP.  VT.,  VERSE   8. — N.  3S8[<:J.  813 

in  intelligence  from  reasoning,  thus  in  self-intelligence.  From 
this  general  idea  of  the  contents  what  the  particulars  here  involve 
can  be  seen,  namely,  "  Speak  unto  Pharaoh  king  of  Egypt,  and  to 
his  multitude,"  signifies  what  pertains  to  the  natural  man  and  its 
knowledges  {scieiuifica),  "Pharaoh  king  of  Egypt"  meaning  the 
natural  man,  and  "his  multitude"  the  knowing  faculty  belonging 
to  it.  "  Asshur,  a  cedar  in  Lebanon,  has  become  high  above  all 
the  trees  of  the  field,"  signifies  the  rational  increasing  by  know- 
ledges iscientifica),  "  Asshur "  meaning  the  rational,  and  "cedar" 
the  intellectual,  and  "its  becoming  high  above  all  the  trees  of  the 
field"  signifying  immense  increase  from  knowledges  of  truth  and 
good  ;  "  but  because  he  was  lifted  up  in  his  height,  and  hath  set 
his  top  among  the  thick  boughs,"  signifies  because  he  gloried  in 
his  intelligence,  and  in  knowledge  [scieniia)  belonging  to  the  natu- 
ral n.ian  ;  and  this  glorying,  which  is  an  elation  of  mind  from  love 
of  self,  is  a  glorying  in  one's  own  (propriwi) ;  for  the  natural  man 
separated  from  the  spiritual  exalts  itself,  because  when  separated 
from  the  spiritual  it  is  in  one's  own  {propHum),  and  attributes  all 
things  to  itself  and  nothing  to  God  ;  "  to  set  his  top  "  is  exalting 
oneself;  and  the  "thick  boughs"  are  the  knowledges  {scientifica) 
that  belong  to  the  natural  man  (see  ^.C.,n.  2831,  8133).  "Strangers 
shall  cut  him  ofi^  the  violent  of  the  nations,  and  they  shall  cast 
him  down,"  signifies  that  falsities  and  evils  therefrom  shall  destroy 
the  rational,  "strangers"  meaning  falsities,  and  "the  violent  of 
the  nations"  evils  therefrom;  whence  "upon  his  ruin  every  bird 
of  the  heavens  shall  dwell,  and  every  wild  beast  of  the  field  shall 
be  upon  his  branches,"  signifies  that  then  there  will  be  falsities  of 
thought  and  evils  of  affe6lion,"  "birds"  signilving  knowledges 
both  of  truth  and  of  falsity,  "wild  beast"  evils  of  affection  there- 
from, and  "field"  the  church,  for  no  other  falsities  and  evils  are 
meant  than  those  that  are  in  the  church.     (That  birds  signify  thoughts, 

ideas,  and  reasonings,  in  both  senses,  with  a  difference  according  to  their  genera  and 

species,  A.c.,n.  776,  778,  866,  988,  991,  3219,  5149,  7441.^    [13.]  In  the  same, 

"I  will  abandon  thee  in  the  desert,  thee* and  all  the  fish  of  thy  rivers; 
upon  the  faces  of  the  field  shalt  thou  fall  ;  thou  shalt  not  be  brought 
together  nor  gathered  :  I  have  given  thee  for  food  to  the  wild  beast 
of  the  land  and  to  the  bird  of  heaven  "  (xxix.  5  ;  xxxii.  4). 

This,  too,  is  said  of  Pharaoh  and  the  Egyptian,  who  signify  the 
natural  man  separate  from  the  spiritual,  and  this,  when  separated, 
is  in  mere  falsities  and  evils,  for  it  is  then  without  the  light  of 
heax'en,  which  is  the  source  of  all  intelligence  ;  therefore  "  I  will 
abandon  thee  in  the  desert"  signifies  to  be  without  truths  and 
goods  ;  "the  fish  of  his  rivers"  signify  the  stnj,ual  knowing  faculty 

[sciciitificum  sevsnah^  (see  nbove,  n.  342[*,<:])  ;  '"  UpOn  the  faces  of  the  field 


8 14  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAI» 

shalt  thou  fall"  sii^nitics  that  tor  it  f\ei')tliing  of  the  church  is- 
to  perisli ;  "thou  shalt  not  be  brought  together,  nor  gathered,'* 
signifies  that  good  and  truth  will  not  be  seen,  for  the  spiritual  man 
sees  these  in  the  natural,  for  the  natural  brings  together  and  gath- 
ers knowledges  iscifnii/ua)  and  forms  conclusions  ;  "  I  have  given 
thee  for  food  to  the  wild  beast  of  the  land  and  the  bird  of  heaven." 
signifies  here  as  above,  to  be  about  to  perish  by  falsities  of  thought 
and  evils  of  atifeclion  therefrom.  Because  the  natural  man  separ- 
ated tVom  the  spiritual  is  carried  away  into  falsities  of  every  kind 
and  becomes  hurtful,  "  Egypt "  is  said  to  be 

"A  wild  beast  of  the  reed  "  {Psalm  Ixviii.  30). 

[14.]    In  Ezekiel: 

"Thou  shalt  fall  upon  the  mountains  of  Israel,  thou  and  all  thy  hordes, 
and  the  peoples  that  are  with  thee  ;  I  have  given  thee  for  food  to 
the  bird  of  flight  of  every  wing,  and  to  the  wild  beast  of  the  field  " 
(xxxix.  4). 

This  is  said  of  Gog,  which  signifies  external  worship  separated  from 
internal,  which  in  itself  is  no  worship,  for  it  is  the  worship  of  the 
natural  man  separated  from  the  spiritual.  "Thou  shalt  fall  upon 
the  mountains  of  Israel"  signifies  that  such  have  nothing  of  the 
good  of  charity,  "mountains  of  Israel"  signifying  the  goods  of 
charity,  and  "to  fall"  there  signifying  to  perish;  "thou  and  all 
thy  hordes,  and  the  people  that  are  with  thee,"  signifies  that  such 
worship,  with  its  do6lrinals  and  falsities,  would  perish  ;  "  I  have 
given  thee  for  food  to  the  bird  of  flight  of  every  wing,  and  to  the 
wild  beast  of  the  held,"  signifies  extin6fion  of  truth  and  good  by 
falsities  of  every  kind  and  by  evils ;  the  evils  that  are  signified  by 
"the  wild  beast  of  the  field"  are  evils  of  life,  which  are  lusts 
arising  from  love  of  self  and  the  world.     [15.]    In  Da\id  : 

"O  God,  the  nations  have  come  into  Thine  inheritance  ;  the  temple  of 
Thy  holiness  have  they  defiled  ;  they  have  laid  Jerusalem  in  heaps  ; 
the  dead  body  of  Thy  servants  have  they  given  for  food  to  the 
bird  of  the  heavens,  the  flesh  of  Thy  saints  to  the  wild  beast  of 
the  earth  "  {Fsa/iii  Ixxix.  i,  2). 

"Nations"  here  does  not  mean  nations,  but  evils  of  life  and 
falsities  of  do6trine ;  for  God's  "inheritance"  signifies  the  church 
wherein  the  Lord  is  all  the  good  and  all  the  truth,  because  these 
are  from  Him  ;  "to  defile  the  temple  of  holiness,  and  to  lay  Jeru- 
salem in  heaps,"  signifies  to  profane  worship  and  pervert  the  doc- 
trine of  the  church,  "temple  of  holiness"  signifying  worship,  be- 
cause it  is  a  place  of  worship,  and  "Jerusalem"  signifying  the 
church  in  relation  to  dodrine,  thus  the  do6trine  of  the  church  ; 
"  to  give  the  dead  body  of  Thy  servants  for  food  to  the  bird  of  the 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE   8. — N.   3S8[</].  815 

heavens,  and  the  flesh  of  Thy  saints  to  the  wild  beast  of  the  earth," 
signifies  to  destroy  all  truths  by  falsities,  and  all  goods  by  evils  ;  here, 
too,  "bird  of  the  heavens"  means  thoughts  of  falsity,  and  "wild 
beast  of  the  earth  "  affe6lions  for  evil  therefrom.    [16.]  In  the  same, 

"  Give  not  the  soul  of  Thy  turtle-dove  unto  the  wild  beast ;  forget  not 
the  life  of  Thy  wretched  ones  for  ever"  {Psalm  Ixxiv.  19). 

"Turtle-dove"  signifies  spiritual  good,  so,  too,  those  who  are  in 
that  good  ;  and  "  wild  beast"  signifies  falsity  of  evil  lusting  to  de- 
stroy, so,  too,  those  who  are  in  falsity  of  evil  and  are  eager  to  de- 
stroy;  this  makes  clear  what  "give  not  the  soul  of  Thy  turtle- 
dove unto  the  wild  beast"  signifies.  "Wretched  ones"  mean 
those  who  are  infested  by  falsities,  and  are  consequently  in  anxiety, 
and  are  waiting  for  deliverance. 
[«?.]    [17.]  In  Ezekiel: 

The  sheep  "  were  scattered  with  no  shepherd,  and  became  food  for  every 
wild  beast  of  the  field,  and  were  scattered"  (xxxiv.  5,  8). 

This  signifies  that  goods  of  charity  have  been  destroyed  by  falsi- 
ties and  utterly  consumed  by  evils  of  every  kind  therefrom  ; 
"  wild  beast  of  the  field  "  meaning  evils  of  life  springing  from  fals- 
ities of  dodlrine ;  "sheep,"  in  the  Word,  mean  those  who  are  in 
the  good  of  charity  ;  but  the  genuine  spiritual  sense  is  a  sense  ab- 
stra6led  from  persons,  consequently  "sheep"  signify  goods  of 
charity  ;  "  shepherds  "  signify  those  who  by  truths  lead  to  good, 
and  in  an  abstract  sense,  the  truths  themselves  through  which 
there  is  good  ;  therefore  "without  a  shepherd"  signifies  no  truth 
through  which  there  is  good,  and  therefore  falsity.  "  To  become 
food"  signifies  to  be  consumed,  the  same  as  "to  be  eaten"  when 
wild  beasts  are  spoken  of;  "wild  beast  of  the  field"  signifying 
evils  from  falsities.     [18.]    In  yob  : 

"  Blessed  is  the  man  whom  God  chasteneth In  famine  He  shall 

redeem  thee  from  death  ;  and  in  war  from  the  hands  of  the  sword. 
....  At  devastation  and  famine  thou  shalt  laugh,  and  thou  shall 
not  be  afraid  of  the  wild  beast  of  the  land"  (v.  17,  20,  22). 

This  treats  of  temptations  ;  "  Blessed  is  the  man  whom  God  chast- 
eneth "  signifies  one  who  is  tempted  ;  "  In  famine  He  shall  redeem 
thee  from  death"  signifies  deliverance  from  evils  when  tempted 
through  lack  and  non-perception  of  good;  "in  war  from  the 
hands  of  the  sword "  signifies  deliverance  from  falsities  when 
tempted  through  lack  and  non-understanding  of  truth  ;  "war" 
meaning  temptation  ;  "  at  devastation  and  famine  thou  shalt  laugh  " 
signifies  that  to  him  there  shall  be  no  lack  of  good  ;  and  "  thou 
shalt  not  be  afraid  of  the  wild  beast  of  the  earth"  signifies  that  no 


8l6  APOCALVPSE    KXPLAINED. 

falsity  shall  infest  him.     [19.]    In  Ezckicl : 

"  Thus  Shalt  thou  say  unto  them, . . .  Those  who  are  in  the  waste  places 
shall  die  by  the  sword,  and  him  that  is  upon  the  faces  of  the  field 
I  will  give  to  the  wild  beast  to  be  devoured,  and  they  that  be  in 
the  strongholds  and  in  the  caves  shall  die  of  the  pestilence.  For 
I  will  make  the  land  a  desolation  and  wasteness  "  (xxxiii.  27,  28). 

This  treats  of  the  desolation  of  all  the  truth  and  vastation  of  all 
the  good  in  the  church,  as  these  words  indicate,  "  I  will  make  the 
land  a  desolation  and  wasteness,"  "land  "  signifying  the  church. 
"Those  who  are  in  the  waste  places  shall  die  by  the  sword"  sig- 
nifies that  those  who  are  in  knowledges  {sdentifica)  shall  perish  by 
falsities,  for  the  knowledges  [sdentifica]  of  the  natural  man  without 
light  from  the  spiritual  are  here  meant  by  waste  places  ;  "  him  who 
is  upon  the  faces  of  the  field  I  will  give  to  the  wild  beast  to  be 
devoured"  signifies  that  those  who  are  in  knowledges  from  the 
Word  shall  perish  by  evils  of  falsity,  "faces  of  the  field"  mean- 
ing things  of  the  church,  here  knowledges  from  the  Word,  and 
"wild  beast"  the  evil  of  falsity  ;  "they  that  are  in  the  strongholds 
and  in  the  caves  shall  die  of  the  pestilence"  signifies  those  who 
by  the  Word  and  those  who  by  knowledges  {sdentifica)  have  con- 
firmed themselves  in  falsities  and  evils,  that  such  shall  utterly 
perish  by  evils  and  falsities,  "strongholds  "  meaning  confirmations 
from  the  Word,  and  "caves"  confirmations  from  knowledges. 
That  such  is  the  signification  of  these  words,  can  be  seen  only 
from  the  conncSlion  in  the  internal  sense,  for  that  sense  treats, 
as  has  been  said,  of  the  total  vastation  of  the  church.  [20.]  In 
the  same, 

"  I  will  send  upon  you  famine  and  the  evil  wild  beast,  and  I  will  make 
thee  bereaved ;  and  pestilence  and  blood  shall  pass  through  thee ; 
especially  will  I  bring  the  sword  upon  thee"  (v.  17). 

In  the  same, 

"When  I  shall  send  famine  upon  the  land,  and  cut  ofif  from  it  man  and 
beast . . . .  ;  when  I  shall  cause  the  evil  wild  beast  to  pass  through  the 
land  and  bereave  it,  that  it  may  become  a  desolation,  so  that  none 
pass  through  because  of  the  wild  beast ; . . . .  and  when  I  shall  bring 
the  sword,  ....  and  send  the  pestilence  ; .  .  . .  thus  when  I  shall  send 
my  four  evil  judgments  upon  Jerusalem,  the  sword,  the  famine,  the 
evil  wild  beast,  and  the  pestilence,  to  cut  off  from  it  man  and  beast" 
(xiv.  13,  15,  17,  19,  21). 

In  the  internal  sense  "to  cut  ofif  man  and  beast"  signifies  to  de- 
prive of  every  affection  of  good  and  truth,  both  internal  or  spirit- 
ual and  external  or  natural.      (That  this  is  signified  by  "  man  and  beast  "  in 

the  Word,  see  ^.c.  n. 7424,  7523,  7872.)  "Famine"  signifies  the  loss  of 
good  of  love;  "sword"  the  loss  of  truth  of  faith,  both  through 
falsity;   "evil  wild  beast"  the  loss  of  both   by  evils  of  love  of 


CHAP.    VI.,  VERSE   8. — N.    388[<?].  817 

self  and  the  world;  and  "pestilence"  consequent  loss  of  spir- 
itual life.  These  are  called  here  "the  four  judgments,"  be- 
cause man  is  judged  by  them.  [21.]  From  the  explanation  of 
these  and  the  preceding  passages  the  meaning  of  each  par- 
ticular here  in  conne6lion  can  be  seen.  "The  evil  wild  beast" 
means  all  destru61:ive  beasts,  such  as  lions,  bears,  tigers,  pan- 
thers, boars,  wolves,  dragons,  serpents,  and  many  others,  which 
seize  and  rend  asunder  innocent  animals,  such  as  lambs,  sheep, 
bullocks,  oxen,  and  the  like.  That  such  wild  beasts,  and  in 
general,  "the  evil  wild  beast,"  signify  kists  springing  from  love  of 
self  and  the  world,  from  which  are  all  evils  ot  life  and  falsities  ol 
doctrine,  is  from  correspondence,  as  can  be  seen  from  the  ap- 
pearances in  the  spiritual  world.  There  all  lusts  of  evil  and  fals- 
ity appear  as  wild  beasts  of  various  kinds  ;  moreover,  those  from 
whom  such  appearances  spring  are  like  wild  beasts,  for  their  high- 
est delight  is  to  attack  and  destroy  the  good.  This  delight  is  an 
infernal  delight,  and  is  inherent  in  the  loves  of  self  and  of  the 
world,  in  which  the  hells  are.  From  this  it  can  be  seen  why  it  is 
that  "evil  wild  beast"  in  general  signifies  evils  of  life,  or  lusts  and 
falsities  therefrom  springing  from  the  loves  of  self  and  of  the 
world,  which  vastate  all  things  of  the  church  with  man. 

[e.]  [22.]  It  has  been  shown  already  from  the  Word  that 
"  wild  beasts  "  signify  evil  lusts  and  falsities,  in  particular,  lusts  of 
ravaging  and  destroying  goods  and  truths,  thus  the  spiritual  life 
of  man,  by  means  of  falsities.  It  shall  now  be  shown  that  "wild 
beasts"  in  the  Word  signify  also  afifecliions  for  truth  and  good, 
which  are  contrary  to  affections  for  falsity  from  evil,  which  are 
called  lusts.  "  Wild  beasts  "  signify  also  in  the  Word  affections 
for  truth  and  good,  because  the  word  in  the  original  by  which 
they  are  designated  and  called  signifies  life,  for  in  that  language 
''wild  beast"  is  called  chayah,  and  chayah  means  life,  and  the  life 
itself  of  the  spiritual  man  is  in  affe(ii;ion  for  truth  and  good  ;  so 
when  "  wild  beast"  is  mentioned  in  the  Word  in  this  good  sense, 
it  ought  rather  to  be  changed  and  called  a?iimal,  which  means  a 
living  soul.  But  when  "wild  beast"  is  spoken  of  in  this  sense, 
the  idea  that  adheres  to  the  word /era  in  the  Latin  must  be  en- 
tirely laid  aside,  for  in  that  language  an  idea  of  fierce  and  ferocious 
adheres  to  the  word  /era,  thus  an  idea  of  something  noxious  or 
evil.  It  is  otherwise  in  the  Hebrew  tongue,  in  \\h\c\\  /era  means 
life,  and  in  general,  a  living  soul  or  animal  ;  in  this  sense  chayah 
ox  /era  cannot  be  called  "beast  (de-s/ia),"  since  frequently  in  the 
Word /era  and  bestia  are  mentioned  together,  \\\\Q.\\/era  signifies 
affe6fion  for  truth,  and  bestia  affe6fion  for  good.  Because /iva  or 
chayah  in  this  contrary  sense  signifies  affe(5lion  for  truth  and  good, 


8l8  APOCALYPSE  EXPLAINED. 

Eve,  the  wife  of  Adam,  is  called  Chavah,  from  that  word;  as  is 
e\ident  in  Moses  : 

"And  the  man  called  his  wife's  name  Eve  {chavah),  because  she  was  to 
be  the  mother  of  all  chay  (that  is,  living)"  {Gen.  iii.  20). 

Also  "  the  four  animals "  that  were  cherubim,  are  called  from 
the  same  word,  chayah,  in  the  plural ;  and  because,  as  was  said, 
the  idea  of  fierce  and  ferocious  adheres  to  the  word  /era  in  the 
Latin,  the  translators  have  used  miimalia  (living  creatures)  for  the 
cherubim  which  appeared  as  animals 

(see  Ezek.  i.  5,13-15,  22  ;  x.  15  ;  and  elsewhere). 

[23.]  Likewise  animals  that  may  be  eaten,  as  lambs,  sheep,  she- 
goats,  rams,  kids,  he-goats,  heifers,  oxen,  cows,  as  also  animals 
that  are  not  to  be  eaten,  are  called  by  the  common  word  wild 
beasts  {ferae),  and  yet  all  animals  that  are  to  be  eaten  signify  good 
affections,  for  they  are  mild  and  useful,  consequently  not  wild  or 
ferocious.     Thus  in  Moses  : 

"  This  is  the  wild  beast  that  ye  shall  eat  of  all  the  beasts, ....  among  all 
the  wild  beasts  that  go  on  all-four, ....  to  distinguish  ....  between 
the  wild  beast  that  is  eaten  and  the  wild  beast  that  is  not  eaten  " 

{Lev.  xi.  2,  27,  47). 

And  elsewhere, 

"  He  that  hunteth  a  hunting  of  the  wild  beast  and  of  the  bird  that  is 
eaten  "  {Lev.  xvii.  13). 

Also  the  animals  that  were  sacrified,  and  that  have  been  named 
above,  were  termed  wild  beasts.     Thus  in  Isaiah  : 

"And  Lebanon  is  not  sufl5cient  to  burn,  and  the  wild  beast  thereof  is  not 
sufficient  for  a  burnt  offering  "  (xl.  16). 

And  in  David : 

"  I  will  take  no  bullock  out  of  thy  house,  nor  he-goats  out  of  thy  folds  " 
for  sacrifice  ;  "for  every  wild  beast  of  the  forest  is  Mine,  and  the 
cattle  upon  the  mountains  of  thousands.  I  know  every  bird  of 
the  mountains,  and  the  wild  beast  of  My  fields  is  with  Me.  If 
I  were  hungry  I  would  not  tell  thee,  for  the  world  is  Mine  and 

the  fulness  thereof Sacrifice  unto  God  confession  "  {Fsahn 

1.  9-12,  14). 

[24.]  That  "  wild  beast "  signifies  affection  for  truth  and  good  can 
be  seen  further  from  the  following  passages.     In  Moses  : 

"  In  the  seventh  year,"  which  is  the  sabbatical  year,  "thou  shalt  let  the 
land  rest  and  lie  still ;  that  the  poor  of  thy  people  may  eat  it,  and 
what  they  leave  the  wild  beast  of  the  field  may  eat "  {Exod.  xxiii. 
II). 

And  in  another  place, 


CHAP.   VI.,   VERSE    8. — N.   388[.?].  819 

In  the  year  of  the  sabbath,  "  all  the  produce  that  is  in  thy  land  shall  be 
for  food  for  thy  cattle  and  for  the  wild  beasts  "  {Lev.  xxv.  7). 

Here  "  cattle  {bestiae)  and  wild  beasts  "  mean  lambs,  sheep,  she- 
goats,  kids,  rams,  he-goats,  bullocks,  oxen,  cows,  horses,  and  asses, 
but  not  lions,  bears,  boars,  wolves,  and  like  rapacious  wild  beasts  ; 
so  here  "wild  beasts"  mean  domestic  wild  beasts  which  are  useful, 
which  signify  affe61:ions  for  truth  and  good.     [25.]    In  Uavid  : 

"  Praise  Jehovah  from  the  earth,  ye  whales  and  deeps, ....  wild  beasi 
and  all  cattle,  creeping  thing  and  bird  of  wing, ....  kings  of  the 
earth  and  all  peoples"  {Psalm  cxlviii.  7,  10,  11). 

These  signify  goods  and  truths  of  every  kind  in  man,  from  which 
man  worships  God  ;  and  as  man  worships  God  from  these,  and 
these  are  not  of  man  but  of  the  Lord  in  him,  it  is  meant  that  these 
worship  God,  for  no  one  can  worship  God  rightly  from  himself, 
but  only  from  God,  that  is,  from  the  goods  and  truths  that  are  of 
God  in  him.  That  no  one  of  himself  but  only  from  the  Lord,  is 
able  to  name  Jesus,  is  known  to  some  in  the  church,  and  is  fuUv 
known  in  heaven.  "  To  praise  Jehovah  "  signifies  to  worship  Him  ; 
"whales  and  deeps"  signify  knowledges  {scientifica  et  cognUioiies)  in 
general  or  in  the  whole  complex ;  "wild  beast  and  all  cattle"  sig- 
nify affedlions  for  truth  and  good;  "creeping  thing  and  bird  of 
every  wing"  signify  the  delight  of  good  and  truth  of  the  natural 
and  of  the  spiritual  man  ;  consequentlv  it  is  added,  "  Praise  Jeho- 
vah, ye  kings  of  the  earth  and  all  peoples,"  these  signifying  truths 
of  good  of  every  kind.  That  such  things  are  signified  by  these 
words  is  evident  from  their  signification  in  the  internal  sense,  and 
from  the  Word  in  heaven,  where  the  Word  is  spiritual,  because  it  is 

for  angels  who  are  spiritual.  (That  the  Word  is  also  in  the  heavens,  and  there 
it  is  in  its  internal  sense,  ^^ee  Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  259-261.1    [26.]    In  the  Same, 

"  O  God,  Thou  makest  the  rain  of  good  will  to  drop  down  ;  Thou  shalt 
strengthen  Thine  inheritance  when  it  is  weary :  Thy  wild  beasts 
shall  dwell  therein  "  {Psalm  Ixviii.  g,  10). 

Here  too,  "wild  beast,"  or  "animal,"  stands  for  those  who  are  in 
affe6tions  for  truth  and  good,  or  in  an  abstraft  sense,  those  aflfec- 
tions  themselves ;  for  "  rain  of  good  will,"  which  God  makes  to 
drop  down,  signifies  Divine  truth  from  Divine  good  ;  "  inheritance 
when  it  is  weary,"  which  God  shall  strengthen,  signifies  a  church 
that  is  in  Divine  truth  in  respe6l  to  do<5trine  and  life,  "inherit- 
ance "  meaning  the  church  where  these  are,  which  is  said  "  to  be 
weary"  from  earnest  endeavor  to  do  good.  "The  wild  beasts  that 
shall  dwell  therein,"  that  is,  in  the  inheritance  or  church,  signify 
affections  for  truth  and  good.  That  nothing  else  is  here  meant  b)- 
"wild  beast,"  is  evident,  for  no  rapacious  wild  beast,  that  is,  no 


820  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

lust  of  falsity  and  evil,  can  dwell  in  the  inheritance  ujjon  which 
God  causes  the  rain  of  good  will  to  drop  down.    [37.]   In  Ilosca  : 

"In  that  day  will  I  make  a  covenant  for  them  with  the  wild  beast  of  the 
field,  and  with  the  bird  of  the  heavens,  and  with  the  creeping  thing 
of  the  earth  ;  and  I  will  break  the  bow  and  the  sword  and  war  from 
the  earth  ;  and  I  will  make  them  to  lie  down  securely.  And  I  will 
betroth  Me  to  thee  for  ever  "  (ii,  i8,  19). 

These  things  are  said  of  a  new  church  from  the  Lord  ;  and  "the 
wild  beast  of  the  field,  the  bird  of  the  heavens,  and  the  creeping 
thing  of  the  earth,"  have  the  same  signification  as  above  in  Da- 
vid (^Psalm  cxlviii.  7,  10,  11),  where  they  have  been  explained. 
"Covenant"  signifies  conjuncflion ;  so  "to  make  a  covenant"  sig- 
nifies to  be  conjoined  (see  A.c,  n.  665,  666,  1023,  1038,  1864,  1996,  2003, 
2021,  6804,  8767,  8778,  9396, 10632).  For  Jehovah  cannot  "  make  a  cov- 
enant" or  be  conjoined  with  affe6lions  for  evil  and  falsity,  that  is, 
with  the  lusts  that  are  signified  by  "wild  beasts"  in  the  sense  first 
given,  nor  can  He  make  a  covenant  with  the  wild  beast,  bird,  and 
creeping  thing  generally,  but  only  with  such  things  as  are  signi- 
fied by  these.  But  these  things  may  be  seen  more  fully  exj^lained 
above  (n,  357[rf]). 

[/.]    [28.]   In  Ezekiel: 

"Speak  unto  Pharaoh  king  of  Egypt. ...,  Behold  Asshur,  a  cedar  in 
Lebanon,  beautiful  in  branch,  and  with  thick  boughs,  and  high  in 

stature The  waters  made  him  to  grow,.  . .  .whence  his  height 

became  greater  than  all  the  trees  of  the  field  ;.  . .  .in  his  branches 
have  all  the  birds  of  the  heavens  built  their  nests,  and  under  his 
branches  every  wild  beast  of  the  field  has  brought  forth ;  and  in 
his  shade  have  dwelt  all  great  nations  :.  .  .  .no  tree  in  the  garden 
of  God  was  equal  to  him  in  beauty  "  (xxxi.  2-9). 

"Pharaoh  and  Egypt"  here  signify  the  knowing  faculty  iscieiitifi- 
cnm)  that  belongs  to  the  natural  man  ;  and  "  Asshur"  the  rational 
which  the  knowing  faculty  serves  ;  the  growth  of  this  through 
truths  known  and  knowledges  is  described  by  "cedar  in  Lebanon," 
this  also  signifying  the  rational;  "the  waters  that  made  him  to 
grow"  signify  truths  ;  and  "  branches"  signify  extension,  such  a.? 
pertains  to  the  thought  of  the  rational  man.  From  this  it  can 
be  seen  what  is  signified  by  "in  his  branches  have  all  the  birds  of 
the  heavens  built  their  nests  ;  under  his  branches  every  wald  beast 
of  the  field  has  brought  forth,  and  in  his  shade  have  dwelt  all 
great  nations,"  namely,  rational  and  spiritual  truths  of  every  kind, 
aflfedions  for  truth,  and  goods,  "birds  of  the  heavens"  signifying 
rational  and  spiritual  truths  of  every  kind,  "wild  beast"  affec- 
tions for  truth,  "to  bring  forth"  signifies  to  multiply,  since  every 
spiritual  birth  or  multiplication  is  effeded  by  affe6lions  for  truth, 

and  "  great  nations  "  signify  goods.      (That  "  birds"  signify  thoughts,  and 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE    8. — N.  388[/].  821 

things  rational,  intellecftual,  and  spiritual,  and  thus  truths,  since  all  things  of  thought 
are  either  triiths  or  falsities,  see  .4.C.,  n.  745,  776,  866,  988,  991,  3219,  5149,  7441  ; 
that  "  to  bring  forth  "  signifies  to  multiply  truths  and  goods,  and  that  this  is  spirit- 
ual birth,  n.  3860,  3868,  9325  ;  that  "  nations  "  signify  those  who  are  in  goods,  and 
thus,  in  an  abstract  sense,  goods,  n.  1059,  1159,  1258,  1260,  1416,  1849,  6005  ;  and 
above,  n.  I75['']'  33'  '•  ''^^*  "  Pharaoh  "  and  "  Egypt"  signify  the  knowing  faculty 
(scientificum)  in  both  senses,  good  and  evil,  see  n.  1164,  1165,  1186,  1462,  5700,  5702, 
6015,  6651,  6679,  6683,  6692,  7296,9340,  9391  ;  and  that  "  .Asshur  "  signifies  the 
rational  in  both  senses,  n.  119,  1186.)  [29.]  That  "Egypt"  signifies  the 
true  knowing  faculty  (verum  scientificum)  and  "  Asssyria  "  the  rational, 
and  that  the  whole  of  man's  rational  has  its  birth  by  means  of 
knowledges  (sden/ifica),  or  that  these  serve  it,  as  was  said  above, 
can  be  seen  from  these  words  in  Isaiah: 

"In  that  day  shall  there  be  a  highway  out  of  Egypt  into  Assyria,  that 
Assyria  may  come  into  Egypt,  and  Egypt  into  Assyria,  and  they 
shall  serve  Jehovah,  the  Egyptians  with  Assyria.  In  that  day 
shall  Israel  be  a  third  to  Egypt  and  to  Assyria,  a  blessing  in  the 
midst  of  the  land  ;  whom  Jehovah  of  hosts  shall  bless,  saying, 
Blessed  be  Egypt  My  people,  Assyria  the  work  of  My  hands,  and 
Israel  Mine  inheritance  "  (xix.  23-25). 

Here  "Egypt"  signifies  the  knowing  faculty  {scientificum],  "As- 
syria" the  rational,  and  "Israel"  the  spiritual.  [30.]  From  the 
passages  already  cited  it  can  be  seen  what  "  bird  "  and  "  w  ild  beast 
of  the  field"  signify  in  Ezekiel : 

"Thus  said  the  Lord  Jehovih,  Say  to  the  bird  of  every  wing,  and  to 
every  wild  beast  of  the  field,  Assemble  yourselves  and  come  ; 
gather  yourselves  from  every  side  to  My  sacrifice  that  I  do  sacri- 
fice for  you,  a  great  sacrifice  upon  the  mountains  of  Israel,  that  ye 
may  eat  flesh  and  drink  blood.    Ye  shall  eat  the  flesh  of  the  mighty 

and  drink  the  blood  of  the  princes  of  the  earth And  ye  shall 

eat  fat  to  satiety,  and  drink  blood,  even  to  drunkenness,  of  My  sac- 
rifice which  I  will  sacrifice  for  you.  And  ye  shall  be  satiated  at 
My  table  with  horse  and  chariot,  with  mighty  man  and  with  every 

man  of  war So  will  I  give  My  glory  among  the  nations" 

(xxxix.  17-21). 

From  the  particulars  here  it  is  evident  that  this  is  said  of  the 
church  to  be  established  by  the  Lord  among  the  nations  ;  there- 
fore "bird  of  every  wing,  and  every  wild  beast  of  the  field,"  that 
are  to  be  assembled  and  invited  to  the  sacrifice,  signify  all  who  are 
in  an  afFe<5lion  for  truth  and  good,  for  "the  flesh"  that  they  will 
eat  signifies  good  of  love,  and  "the  blood"  that  they  will  drink, 
truth  from  that  good,  and  "sacrifice"  worship  itself  from  these. 
But  these  things  maybe  seen  more  fully  explained  above  (n.  329[rf]). 
[31.]  Sometimes  in  the  Word,  "wild  beast"  and  "beast"  are 
mentioned  together,  sometimes  "wild  beast"  alone,  and  "beast" 
alone;  and  sometimes  'wild  beast  of  the  earth"  or  "wild  beast 
of  the  field  ;"  and  when  "wild  beast"  and  "  beast"  are  mentioned 
together,  afifedlion  or  love  for  falsity  and  evil  is  signified,  "wild 


822  Al'OCAI.YPSIi    liXPI.AINKH. 

beast"  signifying  afie<5tion  or  love  for  falsity,  and  "beast"  affec- 
tion or  love  for  evil;  or  in  a  contrary  sense  "wild  beast"  affec- 
tion or  love  for  truth,  and  "beast"  affection  or  love  for  good. 
But  when  "wild  beast"  alone,  or  "beast"  alone  is  mentioned, 
"a  wild  beast  "means  an  affe6lion  for  both  falsity  and  evil,  and  in 
contrary  sense  an  affed^ion  for  both  truth  and  good  ;  while  "  beast" 
means  an  affe(5lion  for  evil  and  for  falsity  therefrom,  and  in  :i 
contrary  sense,  an  affe6tion  for  good  and  for  truth  therefrom. 
But  what  "  beast"  signifies  will  be  seen  below  where  it  is  e.xplaiiicd. 
When,  however,  "wild  beast  of  the  earth"  is  mentioned,  it  nicjin^; 
a  wild  beast  that  devours  animals  and  men  ;  and  when  "  wild 
beast  of  the  field"  is  mentioned,  it  means  a  wild  beast  thai  eats 
up  what  is  sown  ;  therefore  "  wild  beast  ol  the  earth  "  signifies  such 
things  as  destroy  the  goods  of  the  church,  and  "wild  beast  of  the 
fiield"  such  things  as  destroy  the  truths  of  the  church;  for  i)()ih 
"earth"  and  "field"  signif)-  the  church,  "earth"  signifying  the 
church  from  the  nation  and  people  there,  and  "field"  the  church 
from  what  is  sown,  or  from  reception  of  seeds. 

VERSES  9-1 1. 

3c>0«  "And  when  He  had  opened  the  fifth  seal,  I  saw  under  the  altar  the  sniils  nf 
those  slain  because  of  the  Word  of  God,  and  because  of  the  testimony  that  they  held.  And 
they  were  crying  out  with  a  great  voice,  saying,  How  long,  0  Lord,  who  art  holy  and  true,  dost 
Thou  not  Judge  and  avenge  our  blood  on  those  that  dwell  on  the  earth  ?  And  there  were  given 
to  each  one  of  them  white  robes  :  and  it  was  said  unto  them  that  they  should  rest  yet  a  little 
time,  until  their  fellow-servants,  as  well  as  their  brethren,  who  were  to  be  hilled,  ns  they 
also  were,  should  be  fulfilled." 

9,  "And  when  He  had  opened  the  fifth  seal"  .signifies  still  further predic'tion 
[n.  390]  ;  "I  saw  under  the  altar"  signifies  t^iose  who  zt<ere preser7<ed 
under  heaven  [n.  391]  ;  "the  sou /5  of  those  stain  because  of  the  Word 
of  God,  and  because  of  the  testimony  that  they  held,"  signifies  those 
who  were  rejected  and  concealed  berause  of  Divine  truth  and  because 
of  their  confession  of  the  Lord  [n.  392]. 

10.  "And  they  were  crying  out  with  a  great  voice  "  signifies  their  i;rief  of  mind 

["•  393]  ;  "saying.  How  long.  0  Lord,  who  art  holy  and  true,  dost  Thou 
not  judge  and  avenge  our  blood  on  those  that  dwell  on  the  earth  ?"  sig- 
nifies sighings  to  the  Lord,  zvho  is  Righteousness,  respecfiing  the  judgment 
and  removal  of  those  iidio  persecute  and  infest  those  -who  acknowledge 
ike  Lord,  and  are  in  the  life  of  charity  [n.  394]. 

11.  "And  there  were  given  to  each  one  of  them  white  robes"  signifies  Divine 

truth  from  the  Lord  with  them,  and  protection  [n.  395]  ;  "and  it  was 
saiduntothem  that  they  should  rest  yet  a  little  time  "  sigmf\essoMe  fur- 
ther continuance  in  that  state  [n.  396];  "until their  fellow-servants, 
as  well  as  their  brethren,  who  were  to  be  killed,  as  they  also  were, 
should  be  fulfilled,"  signides  until  all  things  were  consummated  \j\.  397]- 

390.  iverse  9  ]  "And  when  he  had  opened  the  fifth  seal"  sig- 
nifies still  further  predi£lion,  as  is  evident  from  the  signification 
of  "  opening  a  seal  of  a  book  "  as  meaning  to  reveal  things  hidden 
and  to  predi6l  things  future  (of  which  see  above,  n.  352.  361,  369,  378). 


CHAP.   VI.,  VERSE    9. — N.   39l[aJ.  823 

39l[#*].  "I  saw  under  the  altar"  signifies  those  -who  zrcj-e 
preserved  uiider  heaven. — This  is  evident  from  the  signification 
of  "to  see,"  as  meaning  to  make  manifest  (as  above,  n.  351)  ;  also 
from  the  signification  of  "altar,"  as  meaning,  in  the  nearest  sense, 
worship  from  good  of  love  to  the  Lord ;  in  a  more  interior 
sense,  heaven  and  the  church,  which  are  in  that  love;  and  in  the 
inmost  sense,  the  Lord's  Divine  Human  in  relation  to  the  Divine 
good  of  the  Divine  love.  "  Under  the  altar"  signifies  those  who 
were  preserx'cd  under  heaven,  because  it  is  said  that  he  "saw  un- 
der the  altar  the  souls  of  those  slain  because  of  the  Word  of  God, 
and  because  of  the  testimony  that  they  held,"  and  by  these  are 
meant  those  who  were  preserved  under  heaven  until  the  last  judg- 
ment ;  but  as  this  is  not  yet  known  in  the  world,  I  will  tell  how  it  is. 
In  the  Last  J^idgment  it  has  been  shown  that  before  the  last  judg- 
ment took  place  there  was  a  semblance  of  heaven  which  is  meant 
by  "the  former  heaven  that  passed  away"  {Apoc.  xxi.  i)  ;  and 
that  this  heaven  consisted  of  those  who  were  in  external  worship 
without  internal,  and  who  therefore  lived  an  external  moral  lile, 
although  they  were  merely  natural  and  not  spiritual.  Those  of 
whom  this  heaven  consisted  before  the  last  judgment  were  seen  in 
the  spiritual  world  above  the  earth,  also  upon  mountains,  hills, 
and  rocks,  and  therefore  believed  themselves  to  be  in  heaven  ; 
but  those  of  whom  this  heaven  consisted,  because  they  were  in  an 
external  moral  life  only  and  not  at  the  same  time  in  an  internal 
spiritual  life,  were  cast  down  ;  and  when  these  had  been  cast  dou  n, 
all  those  who  had  been  preserved  by  the  Lord,  and  concealed 
here  and  there,  for  the  most  part  in  the  lower  earth,  were  raised 
up  and  transferred  to  these  same  places,  that  is,  upon  the  mount- 
ains, hills,  and  rocks  where  the  others  had  been,  and  out  of  these  a 
new  heaven  was  formed.  These  who  had  been  preserved  and  then 
raised  up  were  from  those  in  the  world  who  had  li\ed  a  life  of 
charity,  and  who  were  in  a  spiritual  aflfedlion  for  truth.  The  rais- 
ing up  of  these  into  the  places  of  the  others  I  have  often  witnessed. 
It  is  these  who  are  meant  by  "the  souls  of  those  slain  seen  under 
the  altar,"  and  because  they  were  protected  by  the  Lord  in  the 
lower  earth,  and  this  earth  is  under  heaven,  so  "I  saw  under  the 
altar"  signifies  those  who  were  preserved  under  heaven.  But 
these  are  particularly  treated  of  in  the  Apocalypse  xx.  4,  5,  12,  13, 
where  more  will  be  told  about  them  ;  meanwhile  see  what  is  said 
in  Last  Judgment  (n.  65-72)  of  "the  former  heaven  that  passed 
away,"  and  "  the  new  heaven"  that  was  formed  by  the  Lord  after 
the  last  judgment.     This  much  will  afford  some  light  for  under- 


8^4  APOCALYPSK    KXIM.AINKI). 

staiulin^f  what  is  said  in  the  two  following  verses,  namely,  that 
those  w  lio  were  under  the  altar  "  were  crying  out  with  a  great 
voice,  saying,  How  long,  O  Lord,  who  art  holy  and  true,  dost 
Thou  not  judge  and  avenge  our  blood  on  those  that  dwell  on 
the  earth?  And  there  were  given  to  them  white  robes;  and  it 
was  said  unto  them,  that  they  should  rest  yet  a  little  time,  until 
their  fellow-servants,  as  well  as  their  brethren,  who  were  to  be 
killed,  as  they  also  were,  should  be  fulfilled."  |2.]  "Under  the 
altar"  signifies  under  heaven,  because  the  "altar,"  in  the  highest 
sense,  signifies  the  Lord,  and  in  a  relative  sense,  heaven  and  the 
church,  for  the  Lord  is  heaven  and  the  church,  since  ever)- thing 
of  heaven  and  the  church,  or  everything  of  love  and  faith  which 
make  heaven  and  the  church  with  angel  and  man,  are  from  the 
Lord,  and  thus  are  His ;  but  in  a  general  sense  the  "altar"  signi- 
fies all  worship  of  the  Lord,  and  in  a  particular  sense,  representa- 
tive worship,  such  as  there  was  with  the  sons  of  Israel.  "  The 
altar"  signifies  all  worship,  because  "worship"  in  that  church 
consisted  mainly  in  offering  burnt  offerings  and  sacrifices  ;  for 
these  were  offered  for  every  sin  and  guilt,  also  from  good- 
will to  please  Jehovah  (these  were  called  eucharistic  or  \'ol- 
untary  sacrifices),  also  for  purifications  of  every  kind.  More- 
over, by  burnt  offerings  and  sacrifices  consecrations  were  effected 
into  everything  holy  pertaining  to  the  church,  as  is  evident  from 
the  sacrifices  at  the  consecration  of  Aaron  and  his  sons  into  the 
priesthood,  the  consecration  of  the  tent  of  meeting,  and  after- 
wards of  the  temple.  And  as  the  worship  of  Jehovah,  that 
is,  of  the  Lord,  consisted  chiefly  in  burnt  offerings  and  sacrifices, 
these  were  offered  daily,  namely,  every  morning  and  evening,  and 
were  called  in  one  word  "  continual ;"  besides  a  great  number  at 
every  feast ;  so  in  the  Word  the  "  continual "  offering  signifies  all 
representative  worship.  Fi'om  this  it  can  be  seen  that  worship, 
and  particularly  the  representative  worship  of  that  nation  con- 
sisted chiefly  in  burnt-offerings  and  sacrifices.  For  this  reason 
the  altar  upon  which  these  were  made,  and  which  included  them, 
signifies  in  the  Word  all  worship  in  general.  Worship  means 
not  external  worship  only,  but  also  internal  worship  ;  and  inter-  ' 
nal  worship  comprehends  every  thing  of  love  and  every  thing  of 
faith,  thus  everything  that  constitutes  the  church  or  heaven  with 
man,  in  a  word,  that  causes  the  Lord  to  be  in  him. 

[6.]  Heaven  was  represented  before  John  by  an  altar,  for  this 
reason  also,  that  the  whole  Word  Was  written  by  representatives, 
and  by  such  representatives  as  existed  with  the  sons  of  Israel ;  in 


CHAP,  VI.,  VERSE   9. — N.  39 1  [<^].  825 

order,  therefore,  that  the  Word  might  be  similar  in  both  Testa- 
ments, the  things  in  this  book  and  that  were  seen  by  John,  are  Hke 
those  in  other  parts,  that  is,  an  altar  of  incense  was  seen,  the  in- 
cense itself  with  the  censers,  likewise  the  tabernacle,  the  ark,  and 
other  like  things.  But  at  the  present  day  such  things  by  no  means 
appear  to  any  angel,  or  to  any  man  whose  sight  is  opened  into 
heaven.  The  altar,  the  ark,  and  like  things  do  not  appear  in  heaven 
at  the  present  day,  because  to  the  ancients  sacrifices  were  wholly 
unknown,  and  after  the  Lord's  coming  they  were  entirely  abolished. 
Sacrifices  were  begun  by  Eber,  and  were  continued  afterwards 
among  his  posterity,  who  were  called  Hebrews,  and  were  main- 
tained among  the  sons  of  Israel  who  were  from  Eber,  especially 
because  a  worship  once  begun  and  rooted  in  the  mind  is  not  abol- 
ished by  the  Lord,  but  is  bent  to  signify  what  is  holy  in  religion 
(see  A.c.n.  1343,  2180,  2818,  10042).  [3.]  That  the  "altar"  signifies, 
in  the  highest  sense,  the  Lord's  Divine  Human  in  relation  to  the 
Divine  good  of  the  Divine  love,  and  that  in  a  relative  sense  it  sig- 
nifies heaven  and  the  church,  and  in  general  all  worship,  and  in 
particular  representative  worship,  can  be  seen  from  the  following 
passages  in  the  Word.     In  David, 

"  O  send  out  Thy  light  and  Thy  truth,  let  them  lead  me  ;  let  them  bring 
me  unto  the  mountain  of  Thy  holiness,  and  to  Thy  habitations,  that 
I  may  go  unto  the  altar  of  God,  unto  God  "  {Fsalm  xliii.  3,  4). 

It  is  clearly  evident  that  "the  altar  of  God"  here  means  the  Lord 
in  respect  to  the  Divine  Human,  for  these  words  treat  of  the  way 
to  heaven  and  to  the  Lord  there ;  the  way  to  heaven  is  meant  by 
"  send  out  Thy  light  and  truth  ;  let  them  lead  me  ;"  "  light "  mean- 
ing the  enlightenment  in  which  truths  appear  ;  heaven,  into  which 
it  leads,  is  meant  by  "  let  them  bring  me  unto  the  mountain  of 
holiness,  and  to  Thy  habitations  ;"  "  mountain  of  holiness  "  mean- 
ing heaven  where  the  Lord's  celestial  kingdom  is,  in  which  good 
of  love  reigns;  while  those  heavens  are  called  "habitations" 
where  the  Lord's  spiritual  kingdom  is,  in  which  truth  from  that 
good  reigns  ;  and  as  both  are  meant  it  is  said,  "that  I  may  go  un- 
to the  altar  of  God,  unto  God,"  "altar  of  God"  meaning  where 
the  Lord  is  in  good  of  love,  and  "  God  "  where  the  Lord  is  in 
truth  from  that  good  ;  for  the  Lord  is  called  "  God"  from  Divine 
truth,  and  "Jehovah"  from  Divine  good.  In  the  Jewish  church 
there  were  two  things  that,  in  the  highest  sense,  signified  the 
Lord's  Divine  Human,  namely,  the  altar  and  the  temple  ;  the 
altar,  the  Divine  Human  in  relation  to  Divine  good  ;  the  temple, 


826  APOCAI.VPSE    F.XPI.AIXF.D. 

in  relation  to  Divine  truth  going  forth  from  that  good.  These 
two  signified  the  Lord  in  resped  to  His  Divine  Human,  beeause 
all  things  of  worshij)  in  that  church  represented  tlie  Divine  things 
that  go  forth  from  the  Lord,  called  celestial  and  spiritual,  and  the 
worship  itself  was  chiefly  performed  upon  the  altar  antl  in  the  tem- 
ple, therefore  these  two  represented  the  Lord  Himself  [4.]  That 
the  temple  represented  His  Divine  Human  He  teaches  in  plain 
terms  in  yohn  : 

"The  Jews  said,  What  sign  showest  Thou  that  Thou  doest  these  things? 
jesus  answered  and  said,  Destroy  this  temple,  and  in  three  days 

I  will  raise  it  up But  He  was  speaking  of  the  temple  of  His 

body"  (ii.  18-23;  also  Matt.  xxvi.  61  ;  and  elsewhere). 

When  the  di.sciples  were  showing  Him  the  buildings  of  the  tem- 
ple, the  Lord  said, 

That  "  there  shall  not  be  left  stone  upon  stone  that  shall  not  be  thrown 
down  "  {Matt.  xxiv.  i,  2) ; 

signifying  that  the  Lord  was  wholly  denied  among  them,  on  which 
account  also  the  temple  was  destroyed  from  its  ibundation. 

[c]    [5.]  That  "the  altar"  also  signified  the  Lord's  Divine 
Human,  may  be  concluded  from  the  Lord's  words  in  Matthezv  : 

"Woe  unto  you,  ye  blind  guides,  for  ye  say,  Whosoever  shall  have  sworn 
by  the  temple  it  is  nothing,  but  whosoever  shall  have  sworn  by 
the  gold  of  the  temple  he  is  a  debtor.  Ye  fools  and  blind  !  whether 
is  greater,  the  gold  or  the  temple  that  sancftifieth  the  gold  ?  Also, 
whosoever  shall  have  sworn  by  the  altar,  it  is  nothing  ;  but  who- 
soever shall  have  sworn  by  the  gift  that  is  upon  it,  he  is  a  debtor. 
Ye  fools  and  blind  !  whether  is  greater,  the  gift  or  the  altar  that 
san(flifieth  the  gift?  For  he  that  sweareth  by  the  altar  sweareth 
by  it  and  by  every  thing  thereon.  And  he  that  sweareth  by  the 
temple  sweareth  by  it  and  by  Him  that  dwelleth  therein.  And  he 
that  sweareth  by  heaven  sweareth  by  the  throne  of  God  and  by 
Him  that  sitteth  thereon"  (xxiii.  16-22). 

It  is  here  said  that  the  temple  sandlifies  the  gold  that  is  in  it,  and 
that  the  altar  san6lifies  the  gift  that  is  upon  it ;  and  thus  that  the 
temple  and  the  altar  were  most  holy,  and  that  all  san6lification 
was  from  them;  therefore  "the  temple"  and  "altar"  signify  the 
Lord  in  respe6l  to  the  Divine  Human,  for  from  that  everything 
holy  of  heaven  and  the  church  goes  forth.  If  this  is  not  the 
meaning,  how  could  the  temple  or  the  altar  sandify  anything? 
Nor  can  worship  itself  san6lify,  but  the  Lord  alone,  who  is  wor- 
shipped, and  from  whom  is  the  good  and  truth  of  worship  ;  for 
this  reason  it  is  said  that  the  gift  does  not  san6lify,  but  the  altar, 
"the  gift"  meaning  the  sacrifices  that  constituted  the  worship: 


CHAP.   VI.,  VKRSE   g. — N.  39lL<^J.  827 

and  because  the  Jews  did  not  understand  this,  but  taught  other- 
wise, they  were  called  by  the  Lord  "fools  and  blind."  [6.]  Be- 
cause this  was  signified  by  the  altar,  all  who  touched  it  were  made 
holy,  as  is  evident  in  Moses  : 

"  Seven  days  ....  thou  shalt  sanctify  (the  altar),  that  the  altar  may  be 
holy  of  holies ;  whosoever  shall  touch  the  altar  shall  be  sandlified  " 
{Exod.  xxix.  37). 

"To  touch"  signifies  to  communicate,  to  transfer,  and  to  receive 
(see^.C,  n.  10130),  here  the  Divine  that  goes  forth  from  the  Lord  ; 
and  as  this  was  signified  by  "touching,"  and  those  who  touched 
were  sani^tified,  it  follows  that  in  the  highest  sense  the  Lord  Him- 
self is  signified  by  the  "  altar,"  for  there  is  nothing  holy  from  any 
other  source.  Moreover,  all  worship  is  worship  of  the  Lord  and 
from  the  Lord  ;  and  as  worship  in  that  church  consisted  chiefly 
of  burnt  offerings  and  sacrifices,  so  the  "altar"  signified  the  Di- 
vine itself  from  which  {a  quo) ;  and  this  Divine  is  the  Lord's  Divine 
Human.     [7.]    It  was  therefore  also  commanded. 

That  the  fire  upon  the  altar  should  burn  continually,  and  never  be  put 
out  (^Lev.  vi.  12,  13) ; 

also  that  from  that  fire  the  lamps  should  be  lighted  in  the  tent  of 
meeting,  and  that  they  were  to  take  from  that  fire  in  the  censers 
and  burn  incense;  for  " fire " signified  Divine  love  which  is  in  the 
Lord  alone  (seeabove,  n.  68).  [8.]  Because  "the  fire  of  the  altar" 
signifies  Divine  love,  the  prophet  Isaiah  was  san6lified  by  it : 

"Then  flew  one  of  the  seraphim  unto  me,  in  whose  hand  was  a  burning" 
coal  of  fire,  which  he  had  taken ....  from  off  the  altar,  and  he 
touched  my  mouth,  and  said,  This  hath  touched  thy  lips  ;  therefore 
thine  iniquity  is  taken  away,  and  thy  sin  is  expiated"  (Isa.  vi.  6,  7). 

What  these  words  signify  in  their  connection  can  be  seen  when 
it  is  known  that  "the  altar"  signifies  the  Lord  in  respect  to  the 
Divine  Human,  and  "the  fire"  on  it  the  Divine  good  of  His  Di- 
vine love;  that  the  prophet's  "mouth  and  lips"  signify  doctrine  of 
good  and  truth;  and  that  "to  touch"  signifies  to  communicate, 
"  iniquity,"  which  was  taken  away,  signifies  falsity,  and  "sin  "  evil  ; 
for  "iniquity"  is  predicated  of  a  life  of  falsitv,  that  is,  of  a  life  con- 
trary to  truths,  and  "  sin  "  of  a  life  of  evil,  that  is,  of  a  life  contrary 
to  good.     [9.]    In  Isaiah  : 

"All  the  flocks  of  Arabia  shall  be  gathered  together  unto  Thee,  the  rams 
of  Nebaioth  shall  minister  unto  Thee  ;  they  shall  come  up  to  My 
acceptable  altar ;  thus  will  I  beautify  the  house  of  My  beauty  "^ 
(Ix.  7). 

This  treats  of  the  Lord's  coming,  and  this  is  said  of  the  Lord 


828  APOCAI.Yl'SE    EXPLAINED. 

Himself;  "all  the  flocks  of  Arabia"  that  are  to  be  galhorctl  to- 
gether, and  "the  rams  of  Nebaioth  "  that  are  to  minister,  signify 
all  spiritual  goods,  external  and  internal,  "flocks"  signify  ex- 
ternal goods,  and  "rams"  internal  goods,  and  "Arabia"  and 
"Nebaioth"  things  spiritual.  "They  shall  come  up  to  My  ac- 
ceptable altar ;  thus  will  I  beautify  the  house  of  My  beauty," 
signifies  the  Lord's  Divine  Human,  in  which  there  will  these  be 
spiritual  things,  "altar"  signifying  His  Divine  Human  in  relation 
to  Divine  good,  and  "house  of  His  beauty"  the  same  in  relation 
to  Divine  truth.  That  the  Lord  in  respe<5l  to  the  Divine  Human 
is  here  meant  is  evident  from  the  preceding  part  of  this  chapter, 
w^here  it  is  said  that  "Jehovah  shall  arise  upon  thee,  and  His  glory 
shall  be  seen  upon  thee,"  with  what  follows,  which  describes  the 
Divine  wisdom  with  which  the  Lord  will  be  filled  in  respect  to  His 
Human.  [10.]  As  "the  altar"  signifies  in  the  highest  sense  the 
Lord's  Divine  Human,  "  altar "  signifies  also  heaven  and  the 
church  ;  for  the  angelic  heaven,  viewed  in  itself,  is  from  the  Di\ine 
that  goes  forth  from  the  Lord's  Divine  Human  ;  from  this  it  is  that 
the  angelic  heaven  in  the  whole  complex  is  as  one  man  ;  where- 
fore that  heaven  is  called  the  Greater  Man  (see  what  is  said  about  this 

in    Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  59-86;   and   about   the   church,  n.  57).      And    as   all 

worship  is  from  the  Lord,  for  it  is  the  Divine  communicated  to 
man  from  the  Lord,  in  which  is  the  Lord  Himself,  so  "altar" 
signifies  also  in  general,  e\'erything  of  worship  that  goes  forth 
from  the  good  of  love ;  and  "temple"  the  worship  that  goes  forth 
from  truths  from  that  good ;  for  all  worship  is  either  from  lo\e  or 
from  faith,  either  from  good  or  from  truth  ;  worship  from  good 
of  love  is  such  as  exists  in  the  Lord's  celestial  kingdom,  and  wor- 
ship firom  truths  from  that  good,  which  truths  are  called  truths 
of  faith,  is  such  as  exists  in  the  Lord's  spiritual  kingdom  (about 

which  see  also  in  the  same  work,  n.  20-28). 

[#!•]    [II.]  From  this  it  can  now  be  seen  what  is  signified  by 
"altar"  in  the  following  passages.     In  David  : 

"  How  amiable  are  Thy  tabernacles,  O  Jehovah  of  hosts  !  My  soul  hath 
desired,  yea,  hath  pined  away  for  the  courts  of  Jehovah ;  my  heart 
and  my  flesh  sing  for  joy  unto  the  living  God.  Yea,  the  bird  hath 
found  a  house,  and  the  swallow  a  nest  for  herself,  .  .  .  .Thine 
altars,  O  Jehovah  of  hosts,  my  King  and  my  God  !  Blessed  are 
they  that  dwell  in  Thy  house"  {Psalm  Ixxxiv.  1-4). 

"Altars"  here  mean  the  heavens,  for  it  is  said,  "How  amiable  are 
Thy  tabernacles  ;  my  soul  hath  desired,  yea,  hath  pined  away  for 
the  courts  of  Jehovah,"  and  afterwards  it  is  said,  "Thine  altars, 
O  Jehovah  of  hosts  ;"  "  tabernacles  "  mean  the  higher  heavens,  and 


CHAP.   VI.,   VERSE   9. — N.  39l[rt'].  829 

"courts"  the  lower  hea\ens  where  is  the  place  of  entrance,  these 
are  also  called  "altars"  from  worshij)  ;  and  as  all  worship  is  from 
good  of  love  by  means  of  truths  it  is  said,  "Thine  altars,  O  Jeho- 
vah of  hosts,  my  King  and  my  God;"  for  the  Lord  is  called  "Je- 
hovah" from  Divine  good,  and  "King"  and  "God"  from  Divine 
truth  ;  and  because  the  heavens  are  meant,  it  is  also  said,  "  Blessed 
are  they  that  dwell  in  Thy  house,"  "house  of  Jehovah  God" 
meaning  heaven  in  the  whole  complex.  It  is  also  said,  "yea,  the 
bird  hath  found  a  house,  and  the  swallow  her  nest,"  because 
"bird"  signifies  spiritual  truth,  and  "swallow"  natural  truth,  by 
which  there  is  worship  ;  and  as  all  truth  by  which  there  is  worship 
is  from  good  of  love,  it  is  first  said,  "  my  heart  and  my  flesh  sing 
for  joy  unto  the  living  God,"  "heart  and  flesh"  signifying  good 
of  love,  and  "sing  for  joy"  worship  from  delight  of  good.  [12.] 
Heaven  and  the  church  are  meant  by  "altar"  in  these  passages 
also  in  the  Apocalypse  : 

"There  was  given  me  a  reed  like  unto  a  rod  ;  and  the  angel  stood  and 
said  to  me,  Rise  and  measure  the  temple  of  God,  and  the  altar,  and 
them  that  worship  therein  "  (xi.  i). 

And  afterwards, 

"  I  heard  another  angel  out  of  the  altar  saying,  Yea,  O  Lord  God  Al- 
mighty, true  and  righteous  are  Thy  judgments  "  (xvi.  7). 

In  David, 

"I  wash  mine  hands  in  innocence,  and  compass  Thine  altar, O  Jehovah, 
that  I  may  make  the  voice  of  confession  to  be  heard  "  {Psalm  xxvi. 
6,7). 

"To  wash  the  hands  in  innocence"  signifies  to  be  purified  from 
evils  and  falsities  ;  "to  compass  Thine  altar,  O  Jehovah  "  signifies 
conjun6lion  with  the  Lord  by  worship  from  good  of  love  ;  and 
because  this  is  a  worship  by  means  of  truths  from  good,  it  is 
added,  "that  I  may  make  the  voice  of  confession  to  be  heard," 
"to  make  the  voice  of  confession  to  be  heard"  meaning  worship 
from  truths.  "To  compass  Thine  altar,  O  Jehovah,"  signifies 
conjunction  of  the  Lord  by  means  of  worship  from  good  of  lo\'e, 
because  "Jehovah"  is  predicated  of  good  of  love,  and  "to  com- 
pass" signifies  to  encircle  with  worship,  thus  to  be  conjoined. 
[13.]    In  Isaiah  : 

"  In  that  day  there  shall  be  five  cities  in  the  land  of  Egypt  that  speak 
with  the  lips  of  Canaan,  and  that  swear  to  Jehovah  of  hosts  ;  every 
one  of  them  shall  be  called  Ir  Cheres  [the  city  Cheres].  In  that 
day  there  shall  be  an  altar  to  Jehovah  in  the  midst  of  the  land  of 
Egypt,  and  a  pillar  to  Jehovah  in  the  border  thereof"  (xix.  18,  19). 

**  Egypt "  signifies  the  natural  man  and  its  knowing  facultv  (sden- 


830  Ain)(^Ai,Yi'si.  i:.\im.aixi:d. 

tifuiim);  ''  in  that  (l.i\  '"  si^nitiis  llu'  Lord's  coming  and  the  state 
of  those  who  will  then  be  in  true  knowledges  {scientifica)  from  the 
Lord  ;  "live  cities  in  the  land  of  Egypt  that  speak  with  the  lips 
of  Canaan  "  signify  many  truths  of  do<5lrine  which  are  genuine 
truths  of  the  church,  "five"  meaning  many,  "cities"  truths  of 
do(5lrine,  and  "  lips  of  Canaan  "  genuine  do6trinals  of  the  church  ; 
"  that  swear  to  Jehovah  of  hosts"  signifies  those  that  confess  to 
the  Lord.  "Jehovah  of  hosts,"  mentioned  here  and  in  many 
other  passages  in  the  Word,  means  the  Lord  in  respe6l  to  all  good 
and  truth  ;  for  "hosts  {zcbaoth)'"  in  the  original  signifies  armies,  and 
"armies"  signify  in  the  spiritual  sense  all  the  goods  and  truths 
of  heaven  and  the  church  (see  A.c,  n.  3448,  7236,  7988,  8019).  This, 
therefore,  is  the  meaning  of  "Jehovah  Zebaoth  "  or  "Jehovah  of 
hosts."  "Every  one  of  them  shall  be  called  Ir  Cheres"  signifies 
doctrine  glowing  from  spiritual  truths  in  the  natural,  for  "/r" 
means  city,  and  "  city  "  signifies  doctrine,  "  Cheres  "  means  a  glow- 
ing like  that  of  the  sun.  "  In  that  day  there  there  shall  be  an 
altar  to  Jehovah  in  the  midst  of  the  land  of  Egypt"  signifies  that 
there  shall  then  be  worship  of  the  Lord  from  good  of  love  by 
means  of  true  knowledges  {scicntifica)  that  are  in  the  natural  man ; 
"altar  to  Jehovah  "  signifying  worship  of  the  Lord  from  good  of 
love,  "in  the  midst  of  the  land  of  Egypt"  signifying  by  means  of 
knowledges  that  are  in  the  natural  man,  true  knowledges  {scien- 
tifica)  meaning  also  knowledges  {cognitiones)  from  the  sense  of  the 
letter  of  the  Word ;  "  and  a  pillar  to  Jehovah  in  the  border 
thereof"  signifies  worship  of  the  Lord  from  truths  of  faith,  a  "pil- 
lar "  signifving  worship  from  truths  of  faith,  and  "  border  of  Egypt  '*^ 
signifying  the  outermosts  ;  the  outermosts  of  the  natural  man  are 
things  of  the  senses.     [14.]    In  the  same, 

"  When  he  shall  lay  all  the  stones  of  the  altar  as  chalk-stones  scattered, 
the  groves  and  sun-statues  shall  rise  no  more  "  (xxvii.  9). 

This  is  said  of  Jacob  and  Israel,  by  whom  the  church  is  signified, 
here  the  church  that  is  to  be  destroyed  ;  its  destruction  in  respe(5l 
to  truths  of  worship  is  described  by  "  laying  the  stones  of  the  altar 
as  chalk-.stones  scattered,"  "stones  of  the  altar"  meaning  truths 
of  worship,  "as  chalk-stones  scattered"  mean  as  falsities  that  do 
not  cohere  ;  "the  groves  and  sun-statues  shall  rise  no  more"  sig- 
nifies that  there  shall  no  longer  be  any  worship  from  spiritual  or 
natural  truths,  "groves  "  signifying  worship  from  spiritual  truths,, 
and  "sun-statues"  worship  from  natural  truths.  [15.]  In  La- 
mentations  : 

"The  Lord  hath  abandoned  His  altar;  He  hath  abhorred  His  san<?luary ; 
He  hath  shut  up  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy  the  walls  of  her  pal- 
aces "  (ii.  7). 


CHAP.   VII.,  VERSE    I. — N.    39l[<?].  83I 

This  is  a  lamentation  over  the  vastatlon  of  all  things  of  the  church ; 
that  the  church  has  been  vastated  in  respe6l  to  all  goods  is  signi- 
fied by  "the  Lord  hath  abandoned  His  altar;"  that  it  has  been 
vastated  in  respe6l  to  all  truths  is  signified  by  "  He  hath  abhorred 

His  sanctuary."       (That  "san(fliiary  "  is  predicated  of  the  church  in  respedl  to 

truths,  see  above,  n.  20/\.[tr].)  That  falsities  and  evils  have  entered  into 
all  things  of  the  church  is  signified  by  "  He  hath  shut  up  in  the 
hands  of  the  enemy  the  walls  of  her  palaces,"  "enemy"  signifies 
evil  and  falsity,  "to  shut  up  in  his  hands"  signifies  that  these 
have  seized  and  entered,  "walls  of  palaces"  signifies  all  protecting 
truths,  "palaces"  mean  things  of  do6trine. 
[e.]    [16.]   In  Isaiah: 

"Every  one  that  keepeth  the  sabbath and  holdeth  to  My  covenant, 

them  will  I  bring  upon  the  mountain  of  My  holiness,  and  will 
make  them  joyful  in  the  house  of  My  prayer  ;  their  burnt  offerings 
and  their  sacrifices  shall  be  well-pleasing  upon  My  altar  '  (Ivi.  6,  7). 

"Sabbath"  signifies  conjundlion  of  the  Lord  with  heaven  and  the 
church,  thus  with  those  who  are  therein  ;  so  "  to  keep  the  sab- 
bath" signifies  to  be  in  conjun6lion  with  the  Lord  ;  and  "to  hold 
to  His  covenant "  signifies  conjunClion  by  a  life  according  to  the 
Lord's  commandments;  "covenant"  means  conjun6lion,  and  a 
life  according  to  the  commandments  is  what  conjoins  ;  for  this 
reason  the  commandments  of  the  decalogue  were  called  "a  cove- 
nant." "Them  will  I  bring  upon  the  mountain  of  holiness"  signi- 
fies that  He  will  endow  them  with  good  of  love,  "mountain  of 
holiness"  meaning  the  heaven  in  which  good  of  love  to  the  Lord 
prevails,  consequently  such  good  of  love  as  there  is  in  that  hea- 
ven. "I  will  make  them  joyful  in  the  house  of  My  prayer"  sig- 
nifies that  He  will  endow  them  with  spiritual  truths,  "house  of 
prayer,"  that  is,  the  temple,  meaning  the  heaven  where  spiritual 
truths  are,  consequently  such  spiritual  truths  as  there  are  in  that 
heaven.  "  Their  burnt  offerings  and  sacrifices  shall  be  well-pleasing 
upon  My  altar"  signifies  acceptable  worship  from  good  of  love  by 
spiritual  truths,  "  burnt  offerings  "  signifying  worship  from  the  good 
of  love,  and  "  sacrifices "  worship  from  truths  that  are  from  that 
good ;  truths  from  good  are  what  are  called  spiritual  truths  ; 
"upon  the  altar"  signifies  in  heaven  and  the  church.  [17.]  In 
David  : 

"  Do  good  in  Thy  good  pleasure  unto  Zion  ;  build  Thou  the  walls  of  Je- 
rusalem. Then  shalt  Thou  be  delighted  with  the  sacrifices  of  right- 
eousness,.  .  .  .and  with  burnt  offering;  then  shall  they  offer  buU 
locks  upon  Thine  altar"  {Psalm  li.  18,  19). 

"Zion"  means  a  church  that  is  in  good  of  love,  and  "Jerusalem" 
a  church  that  is  in  truths  of  doctrine ;  therefore,  "to  do  good  in 


832  APOCAi.vi'si;  i:\im.aim;i). 

good  pleasure  unto  Zion,  and  to  build  the  walls  of  Jerusalem," 
signifies  to  restore  the  church  by  leading^  it  into  jjfootl  of  love  and 
by  instru6ling  it  in  the  truths  of  doctrine.  Worship  then  from 
good  of  love  is  signified  by  "then  shalt  thou  be  delighted  with  the 
sacrifices  of  righteousness  and  with  burnt  offering,"  "righteous- 
ness" is  predicated  of  celestial  good,  and  "burnt  offering"  signi- 
fies love ;  and  worship  then  from  good  of  charity  is  signified  by 
"then  shall  they  offer  bullocks  upon  Thine  altar,"  "bullocks"  sig- 
nifying natural-spiritual  good,  which  is  good  of  charity.  [18.]  In 
the  same, 

"God  is  Jehovah  who  giveth  us  light;  bind  the  festal  vidlini  with  cords 
even  to  the  horns  of  the  altar.     Thou  art  my  God  "  {Psalm  cxviii. 

27,  28). 

"  To  give  light "  signifies  to  enlighten  in  truths  ;  "  to  bind  the  festal 
vi6tim  with  cords  even  to  the  horns  of  the  altar"  signifies  to 
conjoin  all  things  of  worship,  "to  bind  with  cords"  meaning  to 
conjoin,  "the  festal  vi6lim  to  the  horns  of  the  altar"  meaning  all 
things  of  worship,  "  horns  "  mean  all  things  because  they  are 
outmosts,  and  "festal  vi6lim "  and  "altar"  mean  worship.  All 
things  of  worship  are  conjoined  when  externals  are  conjoined  with 
internals,  and  goods  with  truths.     [19.]    In  Luke : 

"  The  blood  of  all  the  prophets  shed  from  the  foundation  of  the  world 
shall  be  required  of  this  generation  ;  from  the  blood  of  Abel  unto 
the  blood  of  Zachariah,  slain  between  the  altar  and  the  temple  " 
(xi.  50,  51). 

This  does  not  mean  that  the  blood  of  all  the  prophets  from  the 
foundation  of  the  world,  from  the  blood  of  Abel,  shall  be  required 
of  the  Jewish  nation,  for  blood  is  required  only  of  him  who  sheds 
it ;  but  these  words  mean  that  that  nation  had  falsified  all  truth 
and  adulterated  all  good  ;  for  "  the  blood  of  all  the  prophets,  shed 
from  the  foundation  of  the  world  "  signifies  the  falsification  of  all  the 
truth  there  had  ever  been  in  the  church,  "blood"  meaning  falsi- 
fication, "prophets"  truths  of  do6lrine,  and  "from  the  foundation 
of  the  world,"  meaning  all  that  there  had  ever  been  in  the  church, 
"foundation  of  the  world"  meaning  the  establishment  of  the 
church.  "  From  the  blood  of  Abel  unto  the  blood  of  Zacha- 
riah, slain  between  the  altar  and  the  temple,"  signifies  adultera- 
tion of  all  good,  and  consequent  extin6lion  of  worship  of  the 
Lord,  "blood  of  Abel  unto  Zachariah"  means  adulteration  of 
all  good,  "to  be  slain  between  the  altar  and  the  temple"  means 
extin(5lion  of  all  good  and  all  truth  in  worship,  for  "  altar  "  signi- 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE    9. — N.   2,gi[/].  833 

fies  worship  from  good,  and  "temple"  worship  from  truth,  as 
has  been  said  above  ;  "between"  these  means  where  there  is  con- 
junction ;  and  where  there  is  not  conjunclion  there  is  neither  good 
nor  truth.  The  altar  was  outside  the  tent  of  meeting,  and  outside  the 
temple  ;  therefore  what  was  done  between  the  two  signified  commu- 
nication and  conjunction  (see  ^.6'.,  n.  10001,10025;  and  that  "Abel"  signifies 
good  of  charity,  n.  542,374,  1179,  3325).  It  is  evident  that  neither  Abel 
nor  Zachariah  is  meant  here  in  the  spiritual  sense,  since  in  the 
Word  names  signify  things.     [20.]    In  Matthew : 

Jesus  said,  "  If  thou  shalt  ofifer  thy  gift  upon  the  altar,  and  shalt  there 
remember  that  thy  brother  hath  aught  against  thee,  leave  the  gift 
before  the  altar,  and  go  ;  first  be  reconciled  to  thy  brother,  and  then 
coming  offer  thy  gift"  (v.  23,  24). 

"To  offer  a  gift  upon  the  altar"  means  in  the  spiritual  sense  to 
worship  God,  and  to  worship  God  means  worship  both  internal 
and  external,  namely,  from  love  and  from  faith,  and  thus  from  the 
life ;  this  is  meant  because  in  the  Jewish  church  worship  consisted 
chiefly  in  offering  sacrifices  or  gifts  upon  the  altar,  and  the  chief 
thing  is  taken  for  the  whole.  From  this  the  meaning  of  these 
words  of  the  Lord  in  the  spiritual  sense  can  be  seen,  namely,  that 
Divine  worship  consists  primarily  in  charity  towards  the  neighbor, 
and  not  in  piety  without  that.  "To  offer  a  gift  upon  the  altar" 
means  worship  from  piety  ;  and  "to  be  reconciled  to  a  brother" 
means  worship  from  charity  ;  and  this  is  truly  worship,  and  such 
as  this  is  such  is  the  worship  from  piety.'    (On  this  see  Dofiriue  of  the 

New  yerusalem ,  n.  123-129 ;  and  Heaven,  and  Hell,  n.  222,  224,  358-360,  528,  529, 

535;  and  above,  n.  325[^].)  [21.]  That  "If  thou  shalt  offer  thy  gift 
upon  the  altar"  signifies  in  all  worship,  is  evident  from  the  Lord's 
words  in  Luke  x\  ii.  4  ;  \_Matt.  xviii.  22],  where  it  is  said  that  the 
brother  or  neighbor  must  be  forgiven  every  time,  "seventy  times 
seven  "  there  signifying  always. 

[jf.]  Because  such  things  are  signified  by  "  altar,"  the  altar 
was  made  either  of  wood  or  of  earth,  or  of  whole  stones,  upon 
which  iron  had  not  been  moved,  also  it  was  overlaid  with  brass. 
The  altar  was  made  of  wood,  because  "wood"  signifies  good; 
it  was  also  made  of  earth,  because  "earth"  has  the  same  signifi- 
cation ;  it  was  made  of  whole  stones,  because  such  "stones"  sig- 
nified truths  formed  out  of  good,  that  is,  good  in  form,  and  it  was 
forbidden  to  fit  these  stones  by  hammer,  axe,  or  instrument  of  iron, 
to  signify  that  nothing  of  self-intelligence  must  come  near  to  the 
formation  of  it ;  that  it  was  overlaid  with  brass  signified  that  it 
represented  good  in  every  part,  for  "brass"  signifies  good  in  ex- 


J34  ^APOCALYPSE    EXPI.AINI'.D. 

ternals.  [22.1  That  the  altar  was  made  (A  wood  is  evident  in 
Moses  : 

"Thou  shalt  make  the  altar  of  shittim-woods,  five  cubits  long  and  .  . . 

broad  ;  it  shall  be  four-square And  tliou  shalt  make  horns 

for  it And  thou  shalt  make  for  it  a  grating  of  network  of 

brass  ; . . . .  the  board-work  shall  be  hollow  "  {Exod.  xxvii.  1-8). 

And  in  Ezekiel : 

"The  altar  was  of  wood,  three  cubits  high,  and  the  length  of  it  two  cu- 
bits ;  its  corners,  the  length  of  it,  and  the  walls  of  it,  were  of  wood. 
Then  he  said  unto  me,  This  is  the  table  that  is  before  Jehovah  " 
(xli.  22). 

Moreover,  the  altar  was  made  of  wood,  and  overlaid  with  brass, 
for  a  useful  purpose,  that  it  miglit  be  carried  about,  and  removed 
from  place  to  place  in  the  wilderness,  where  the  sons  of  Israel  then 
were;  also  because  "wood"  sig^nifies  good,  and  "shittim-wood" 
good  of  righteousness,  or  the  good  of  the  Lord's  merit.      (That 

"  wood  "  signifies  good,  see /^.C,  n.  643,  3720.8354;  and  that  "  shittim-wood  "  signi- 
fies the  good  of  righteousness  or  of  merit,  wliich  belongs  to  the  I-ord  only.  n.  9472, 

9486,  9528,  9715,  10178.)  That  the  altar  was  built  also  of  earth,  and  if 
ot  stones,  then  of  whole  stones,  not  hewn  by  any  iron  instrument, 
is  further  evident  in  Moses  : 

"An  altar  [of  earth]  thou  shalt  make  unto  Me,  that  thou  mayest  sacri- 
fice thereon  thy  burnt-olTerings  and  thy  peace-offerings If 

thou  makest  to  Me  an  altar  of  stones  thou  shalt  not  build  it  of 
hewn  stones,  for  if  thou  move  a  tool  upon  it  thou  wilt  profane  it " 
{Exod.  XX.  24,  25). 

In  another  place, 

If  an  altar  of  stones  be  built,  no  iron  shall  be  struck  upon  the  stones 
{Dettt.  xxvii.  5,  6). 

[gr.]  [23.]  Thus  far  it  has  been  shown  what  "altar"  signi- 
fies in  the  genuine  sense  ;  from  this  it  is  clear  what  "  altar"  signi- 
fies in  the  contrary  sense,  namely,  idolatrous  worship,  that  is, 
infernal  worsliip,  which  has  place  only  with  those  who  profess 
religion,  and  yet  love  and  thus  worship  self  and  the  world  above 
all  things  ;  and  when  they  do  this  they  love  evil  and  falsity;  there- 
fore "the  altar,"  in  reference  to  such,  signifies  worship  from  evil, 
and  "the  statues"  which  they  also  had,  worship  from  falsity, 
and  therefore,  hell.  That  this  is  the  signification  of  "altar," 
in  the  contrary  sense,  is  evident  from  the  follow  ing  passages.  In 
Isaiah  : 

"  In  that  day  shall  a  man  have  respeifl  to  his  Maker,  and  his  eyes  shall 
look  to  the  Holy  One  of  Israel.   And  he  shall  not  have  respe<5t  to 


CHAP.    VI..    VERSE    9- — N.    23l[^].  835 

altars,  the  work  of  his  hands,  and  he  shall  not  look  to  that  which 
his  fingers  have  made,  or  to  the  groves  or  the  sun-statues  "  (xvii. 
7.8). 

This  treats  of  the  establishment  of  a  new  church  by  the  Lord  ; 
that  men  shall  then  be  led  into  goods  of  life,  and  be  instructed  in 
truths  of  do6lrine,  is  meant  by  "  In  that  day  shall  a  man  have 
respedl  to  his  Maker,  and  his  eyes  shall  look  to  the  Holy  One  of 
Israel."  The  Lord  is  called  '"  Maker "  bec.nuse  He  leads  into 
goods  of  life,  for  these  make  man  ;  and  He  is  called  "  the  Holy 
One  of  Israel"  because  He  teaches  truths  of  do(?i:rine ;  therefore 
it  is  added,  "  a  man  shall  have  respe6l,"  and  "  his  eyes  shall  look," 
a  man  is  called  "man"  from  good  of  life,  and  "  eyes  "  are  predi- 
cated of  the  understanding  of  truth,  thus  of  truths  of  doctrine. 
That  there  will  then  be  no  worship  from  self-love,  from  which  are 
evils  of  life,  nor  from  self-intelligence,  from  which  are  falsities  of 
dodlrine,  is  signified  by  "he  shall  not  have  respe6l  to  altars,  the 
work  of  his  hands,  and  he  shall  not  look  to  that  which  his  fingers 
have  made,"  "altars,  the  work  of  his  hands,"  mean  worship  from 
self-love,  from  which  are  evils  of  life,  and  "  that  which  his  fingers 
have  made"  means  worship  from  self-intelligence,  from  which  are 
falsities  of  do6lrine;  "groves  and  sun-statues"  signify  a  religion 
from  falsities  and  evils  therefrom,  "groves,"  a  religion  from  falsi- 
ties, and  "sun-statues"  a  religion  from  evils  of  falsity.  [24.]  In 
yeremiah  : 

"  The  sin  of  Judah  is  written  with  a  pen  of  iron,  with  the  .point  of  a  dia- 
mond ;  it  is  graven  upon  the  table  of  their  heart,  and  upon  the 
horns  of  your  altars  ;  as  I  call  to  mind  their  sons,  their  altars,  and 
their  groves,  with  the  green  tree  upon  the  high  hills"  (xvii.  i,  2). 

This  declares  that  the  idolatrous  worship  of  the  Jewish  nation  was 
so  deeply  rooted  that  it  could  not  be  removed.  That  it  was  too 
deeply  rooted  to  be  removed  is  signified  by  "the  sin  of  Judah  is 
written  with  a  pen  of  iron,  with  the  point  of  a  diamond,  it  is  graven 
upon  the  table  of  their  heart,  and  upon  the  horns  of  their  altars," 
deeply  rooted  falsity  is  meant  by  "  it  is  written  with  a  pen  of  iron, 
and  with  the  point  of  a  diamond,"  and  deeply  rooted  evil  is  meant 
by  "it  is  graven  upon  the  table  of  the  heart,  and  upon  the  horns 
of  their  altars."  It  is  said  "  upon  the  horns  of  the  altars,"  because 
idolatrous  worship  is  meant.  The  "sons"  whom  He  calls  to  mind 
signify  falsities  of  evil ;  "  altars  "  idolatrous  worship  from  evil ; 
"groves  with  the  green  tree"  such  worship  from  falsity  ;  "  upon 
the  high  hills"  signifies  adulteration  of  good  and  falsification  of 
truths  ;  for  at  that  time,  when  all  things  of  worship  were  repre- 


836  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

sentatives  of  cekslial  ami  .s])iiitual  things,  they  had  worship  in 
groves  aiul  upon  liills,  for  the  reason  that  "trees,"  of  which  groves 
consist,  signify  knowledges  and  perceptions  of  truth  and  good, 
and  this  according  to  the  kind  of  trees;  and  because  "hills"  sig- 
nified goods  of  charity,  and  spiritual  angels  who  dwell  in  the 
spiritual  world  upon  hills  are  in  such  goods,  so  in  ancient  times 
worship  was  performed  upon  hills  ;  but  this  was  forbidden  to  the 
Jewish  and  Israelitish  nation,  lest  they  should  profane  the  holy 
things  that  were  so  represented ;  for  in  respect  to  worship  that 
nation  was  in  externals  only,  their  internal  was  purely  idolatrous. 

(That  trees  signify  knowledges  and  perceptions  of  truth  and  good,  according  to  their 
kind,  see  A.C.,  n.  2163,  2682,  2722,  2972,  7692;  for  this  reason  the  ancients  wor- 
shipped in  groves  under  trees,  according  to  their  significations,  n.  2722,  4552  ;  why 
this  was  forbidden  to  the  Jewish  and  Israelitish  nations,  n.  2722  ;  why  "  hills  "  signify 
goods  of  charity,  n.  6435,  10438.)       [2S.]     In  Hosea  : 

*'  Israel  is  an  etnpty  vine,  he  bringeth  forth  fruit  like  unto  himself  ;  be- 
cause his  fruit  is  plentiful  be  multiplieth  altars ;  because  his  land 
is  good  they  make  goodly  pillars.  Their  heart  is  smooth  ;  already 
are  they  desolated :  he  shall  overturn  their  altars,  he  shall  spoil 
their  pillars  "  (x.  i,  2). 

"Israel"  here  signifies  the  church,  which  is  called  "an  empty 
vine"  when  there  is  no  longer  any  truth  ;  its  worship  from  evils 
is  meant  by  "altars  which  he  multiplies  ;"  and  worship  from  falsi- 
ties is  meant  by  the  "pillars  which  he  makes  goodly  ;"  that  this 
is  done  so  far  as  these  abound  is  signified  by  "because  his  fruit  is 
plentiful"  and  "because  his  land  is  good."  That  worship  from 
evils  and  falsities  shall  be  destroyed  is  signified  by  "  he  shall  over- 
turn their  altars,  and  shall  spoil  their  pillars."     (That  "pillars"  signify 

worship  from  truth,  and  in  a  contrary  sense,  worship  from  falsities,  thus  idolatrous 
worship,  see  A.C.,  n.  3727,  4580,  10643).      [26.]     In  Ezekiel : 

"Thus  said  the  Lord  Jehovih  to  the  mountains  and  to  the  hills,  to  the 
channels  and  to  the  valleys, ...  I  bring  a  sword  upon  you,  and  I  wil. 
destroy  your  high  places  ;  and  your  altars  shall  be  destroyed  ;  your 
sun-images  shall  be  broken ;  yea,  I  will  make  your  slain  to  fall  be- 
fore your  idols  "  (vi.  3,  4,  6,  13). 

"The  Lord  Jehovih  said  to  the  mountains,  hills,  channels,  and 
valleys,"  does  not  signify  to  all  who  dwell  there,  but  to  all  idola- 
ters, that  is,  to  all  who  instituted  worship  upon  mountains  and 
hills,  and  near  channels  and  in  valleys,  which  was  done  because  of 
the  representation  and  consequent  signification  of  these.  "To 
bring  a  sword  upon  you,  and  to  destroy  the  high  places,  and  to 
destroy  the  altars,  and  to  break  the  sun-images,"  signifies  to  de- 
stroy all  things  of  idolatrous  worship  by  means  of  falsities  and 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE   Q. — N.  39l[^].  .S37 

evils,  for  it  is  by  means  of  these  that  idolatrous  wofship  destio}s 
itself,  "sword"  signifying  falsities  destroying,  "high  places"  idol- 
atrous worship  in  general,  "altars"  the  same  from  evil  loves, 
and  "sun-images"  the  same  from  falsities  of  dodrine  ;  "to  make 
the  slain  to  fall  before  idols"  signifies  damnation  of  those  who 
perish  by  falsities,  "slain"  signifying  those  who  perish  by  falsities, 
"  idols  "  falsities  of  worship  in  general,  and  "  to  fall "  to  be  damned. 
[27.]    In  Hosea  : 

'  Ephraim  hath  multiplied  altars  for  sinning,  they  have  made  for  him 
altars  for  sinning"  (viii.  11). 

"  Ephraim  "  signifies  the  intelle<5l  of  the  church,  here  the  intelle6l 
perverted;  "to  multiply  altars  for  sinning"  signifies  to  pervert 
worship  by  means  of  falsities;  and  "to  make  altars  for  sinning" 
signifies  to  pervert  worship  by  means  of  evils  ;  for  in  the  Word, 
"  to  multiply  "  is  predicated  of  truths,  and  in  a  contrary  sense  of 
falsities,  and  "to  make"  is  predicated  of  good,  and  in  a  contrary 
sense  of  evil  :  this  is  why  the  two  are  mentioned,  and  yet  it  is  not 
a  vain  repetition.     [28.]    In  the  same, 

"  Samaria  is  cut  off,  her  king  is  as  foam  upon  the  faces  of  the  waters ; 
and  the  high  places  of  Aven,  the  sin  of  Israel,  shall  be  destroyed ; 
the  thorn  and  the  thistle  come  up  on  their  altars  "  (x.  7,  8). 

"Samaria"  signified  a  spiritual  church,  that  is,  a  church  in  which 
charity  and  faith  make  one  ;  but  after  it  became  perverted  "  Sama- 
ria "  signified  a  church  in  which  charity  is  separated  from  faith, 
and  in  which  faith  is  even  declared  to  be  the  essential ;  there- 
fore it  then  signified  a  church  in  which  there  is  no  longer  any 
truth,  because  there  is  no  good,  but  in  place  of  good  evil  of  life, 
and  in  place  of  truth  falsity  of  do6lrine.  This  is  here  signified  by 
"Samaria  is  cut  off;"  the  falsity  of  its  do<?i:rine  is  signified  by  "her 
king  is  as  foam  upon  the  faces  of  the  waters,"  "king"  signifying 
truth,  and  in  a  contrary  sense,  as  here,  falsity;  "foam  upon  the 
faces  of  the  waters"  signifying  what  is  empty  and  separated  from 
truths,  "waters"  meaning  truths.  "The  high  places  of  Aven  shall 
be  destroyed  "  signifies  the  destru6lion  of  principles  of  falsity  and 
of  the  reasonings  therefrom  of  those  who  are  in  that  worship,  which 
viewed  in  itself  is  interiorly  idolatrous  ;  for  those  who  are  in  evil 
of  life  and  falsities  of  do6trine  worship  themselves  and  the  world. 
"The  thorn  and  the  thistle  shall  come  up  on  their  altars"  signifies 
that  truth  falsified  and  evil  therefrom  shall  be  in  all  their  worship, 
"altars"  meaning  all  worship. 


83S  Al'DCAI.Yl'SE    EXPLAINED. 

[Ju]    [29.  j    III  .hnos  : 

"  In  the  day  that  I  shall  visit  the  transgressions  of  Israel  upon  him,  I  will 
visit  upon  the  altars  of  Bethel,  that  the  horns  of  the  altar  may  be 
cutoff  and  fall  to  the  ground"  (iii.  14). 

"To  visit  the  transgressions  of  Israel  upon  him  "  signifies  their  last 
state,  in  the  spiritual  sense  their  state  after  death,  when  they  must 
be  jud,q;ed  ;  it  is  said  "to  visit,"  instead  of  to  judg;e,  because  visit- 
ation ahvavs  i)recedes  judgment;  "the  altars  of  Bethel"  signify 
worship  from  evil ;  "horns  of  the  altar"  signify  worship  from  fals- 
ities ;  thus  these  signify  all  things  of  vvorshi]) ;  and  that  these  must 
be  destroyed  fs  signified  bv  "  the  horns  shall  be  cut  off  and  fall  to 
the  ground."  It  is  said,  "  I  will  visit  upon  the  altars  of  Bethel," 
because  Jeroboam  separated  the  Israelites  from  the  Jews,  and 
ere(?led  two  altars,  one  in  Bethel  and  another  in  Dan  ;  and  as 
"  Bethel "  and  "  Dan  "  signify  the  outmost  things  in  the  church,  and 
the  outmost  things  in  a  man  of  the  church  are  called  natural-sens- 
ual things,  or  natural-worldly  and  corporeal,  so  these  are  signified 
by  "  Bethel "  and  "  Dan,"  the  outmost  of  good  by  "  Bethel,"  and  the 
outmost  of  truth  by  "  Dan  ;"  therefore  these  two  altars  signif}'  wor- 
ship in  outmosts,  that  is,  in  things  most  external,  such  as  is  the  wor- 
ship of  those  who  separate  charity  from  faith,  and  acknowledge 
faith  alone  to  be  the  means  of  salvation.  Such  persons,  therefore, 
think  of  religion  in  the  natural-sensual ;  consequently  they  neither 
vmderstand  nor  desire  to  understand  any  of  the  things  they  profess 
to  believe,  declaring  that  the  understanding  must  be  under  obedi- 
ence to  faith.  Such  as  these  were  represented  by  the  Israelites 
separated  from  the  Jews,  that  is,  by  Samaria  separated  from  Jeru- 
salem, and  the  worship  of  such  was  represented  by  the  altars  in 
Bethel  and  Dan  ;  such  worship,  so  far  as  it  is  separated  from  char- 
ity, is  no  worship,  for  in  it  the  mouth  speaks  apart  from  the  un- 
derstanding and  will,  that  is,  apart  from  the  mind  ;  apart  from 
the  understanding  because  they  say  that  men  ought  to  believe 
even  though  they  do  not  understand  ;  and  apart  from  the  will 
because  they  set  aside  deeds  or  goods  of  charity.  [30.]  That  such 
worship  is  no  worship  is  signified  by  what  is  said  in  the  First  Book 
of  Kings : 

When  Jeroboam  stood  by  the  altar  in  Bethel,  the  man  of  God  cried  out 
to  him  that  the  altar  should  be  rent,  and  the  ashes  poured  out ; 
and  so  it  came  to  pass  (xii.  26  at  the  end ;  xiii.  1-6). 

"The  altar  should  be  rent  and  the  ashes  poured  out"  signifies 
that  there  was  no  worship  whatever.     Faith  separated  from  char- 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSF.    9. — N.   39l[/i].  839 

ity  was  then  sii^nified  by  "  Samaria,"  l)ecause  the  Jewish  kingdom 
signified  a  celestial  church,  that  is,  a  church  that  is  in  good  of  love, 
and  the  Israelitish  kingdom  signified  a  spiritual  church  which  is  in 
truths  fi-om  that  good.  This  was  signified  bv  the  Jewish  and 
Israelitish  kingdom  while  they  were  under  one  king,  or  while  they 
were  united ;  but  when  they  were  separated  the  Israelitish  king- 
dom signified  truth  separated  ft'om  good,  or  what  is  the  same,  faith 
separated  from  charity.  Moreover,  worship  is  signified  by  "the 
altar,"  because  it  is  signified  by  the  burnt- offerings  and  sacrifices 
that  were  offered  upon  it,  in  many  other  passages  too  numerous 
to  be  cited.  And  because  idolatrous  worship ,  was  signified  by 
"the  altars  of  the  nations,"  it  was  commanded  that  they  should 
be  everywhere  destroyed 

(see  Deut.  vii.  5  ;  xii.  3  ;  Judges  ii.  2  ;  and  elsewhere). 

[31.]  This  makes  clear  that  altars  were  in  use  among  all  the  pos- 
terity of  Eber,  thus  among  all  who  were  called  Hebrews,  who  for 
the  most  part  were  in  the  land  of  Canaan  and  its  immediate  neigh- 
borhood ;  likewise  in  Syria,  from  which  Abram  came.  That  there 
were  altars  in  the  land  of  Canaan  and  its  neighborhood  is  evident 
from  the  altars  mentioned  there  as  destroyed  : 

That  there  were  altars  in  Syria  is  evident  from  the  account  of  those  built 
by  Balaam,  who  was  from  Syria  {Xum.  xxiii.  i) ; 

Also  the  altar  in  Damascus  (2  Kings  xvi.  10-15). 

Also  from  the  Egyptians  abominating  the  Hebrews  on  account  of  their 
sacrifices  (Exod.  viii.  26) ;  even  so  that  they  were  unwilling  to  eat 
bread  with  them  {Gen.  xliii.  32). 

The  reason  of  this  was  that  to  the  Ancient  church,  which  was  a 
representative  church  and  extended  through  a  great  part  of  the 
Asiatic  world,  sacrifices  were  unknown,  and  when  thev  were  in- 
stituted by  Eber  it  looked  upon  them  as  abominable,  that  is,  that 
they  should  wish  to  appease  God  by  the  slaughter  of  different 
animals,  thus  by  blood.  Among  those  who  were  of  the  Ancient 
church  were  also  the  Egyptians  ;  but  as  they  applied  representa- 
tives to  magical  purposes,  that  church  became  extin61:  among  them. 
They  were  unwilling  to  eat  bread  with  the  Hebrews,  because  at 
that  time  "dinners"  and  "suppers"  represented  and  thus  signified 
spiritual  consociation,  which  is  consociation  and  conjun61:ion 
through  those  things  that  pertain  to  the  church  ;  and  "  bread  "  sig- 
nified in  general  all  spiritual  food,  and  thus  "dining"  and  "supj:)- 

ing"  all  COnjunclion.  [32.]  (That  the  Ancient  Church  extended  through  a 
great  part  of  the  Asiatic  world,  namely,  through  Assyri;t,  Mesopotamia,  Syria, 
Ethiopia,  Arabia,  Libya,  Egypt,  Philistia,  even  to  Tyre  and  Zidon,  through  the  land 


840  APOCALYPSK    EXri.AINKl). 

of  Canaan,  on  both  siilos  of  the  Jordan,  see  A.C.,  n.  1238,  2385 ;  that  it  was  a  re- 
presentative church,  n.  519,  521,  2896;  respecfling  the  church  instituted  by  Eber, 
whi'ch  was  called  the  Hebrew  church,  n.  1238,  1241,  1343,  4516,  4517.  That  sacri- 
fices were  first  bi-guu  by  Eber,  and  were  afterwards  employed  by  his  posterity,  n. 
1128,  1343,  2180,  10042.  That  sacrifices  were  not  conitnanded,  but  only  permitted, 
shown  from  the  Word  ;  why  they  were  said  to  have  been  commanded,  n.  922,  2180, 
2818  ;  that  it  was  necessary  that  altars  and  sacrifices  should  be  mentioned,  and  that 
Divine  worship  should  be  signified  by  them,  because  the  Word  was  written  in  that 
nation,  and  the  historical  Word  treated  of  that  nation,  n.  10453,  10461,  10603, 
10604.) 

392[w]»  "The  sou/s  of  those  slain  because  of  the  Word  of 
God,  and  because  of  the  testimony  that  they  held,"  signifies  those 
who  were  rejected  and  concealed  because  of  Divine  truth  and- 
because  of  their  confession  of  the  Lord. — This  is  evident  from  the 
signification  of  "those  slain,"  as  meaning  those  who  were  reje6tecl 
by  the  evil  and  concealed  by  the  Lord  (of  whom  presently) ;  also  from 
the  signification  of  "Word  of  God,"  as  meaning  Divine  truth. 
What  the  Lord  speaks  is  called  the  Word  of  God,  and  that  is 
Divine  truth.  The  Word  or  Holy  Scripture  is  nothing  else  ;  for 
in  it  all  Divine  truth  is  contained,  but  it  is  only  before  angels  that 
the  truth  itself  in  its  glory  is  manifest  in  it,  because  to  them  the 
interior  things  of  the  Word,  which  are  spiritual  and  celestial, 
become  manifest  and  constitute  their  wisdom.  "The  Word  of 
God,"  therefore,  signifies  in  the  genuine  sense  Divine  truth,  and 
in  the  highest  sense  the  Lord  Himself  who  spoke  it,  for  He  spoke 
from  Himself,  that  is,  from  His  Divine,  and  what  goes  forth  from 
Him  that  also  is  Himself  [2.]  That  the  Divine  going  forth  is 
the  Lord  may  be  illustrated  by  this :  About  every  angel  there  is 
a  sphere  that  is  called  the  sphere  of  his  life ;  this  spreads  abroad 
to  a  great  distance  from  him.  This  sphere  flows  out  or  goes  forth 
from  the  life  of  his  affedion  or  love  ;  it  is  therefore  an  extension 
beyond  him  of  such  life  as  is  in  him.  This  extension  is  efte6led 
in  the  middle  spiritual  atmosphere  or  aura,  which  is  the  aura  f>f 
heaven.  By  means  of  that  sphere  what  an  angel  is  in  respect  to 
affedion  is  perceived  at  a  distance  by  others  ;  this  has  been 
granted  me  from  time  to  time  to  perceive.  But  about  the  Lord 
there  is  a  Divine  sphere,  which  near  Him  appears  as  a  sun,  which 
is  His  Divine  Love,  and  from  this  that  sphere  goes  forth  into  the 
whole  heaven  and  fills  it  and  constitutes  the  light  that  is  there  ; 
this  sphere  is  the  Divine  going  forth  from  the  Lord,  which  in  its 
essence  is  Divine  truth.  This  comparison  with  angels  is  made  as 
an  illustration,  to  show  that  the  Divine  going  forth  from  the  Lord 
is  the  Lord  Himself,  because  it  is  a  going  forth  of  His  love,  and 
the  going  forth  is  Himself  beyond  Himself     The  above  is  further 


CHAP.    VI.,  VERSIi    9. — N.    392[a].  84I 

evident  from  the  signification  of  "  testimony,"  as  meaning  confes- 
sion of  the  Lord,  and  the  Lord  Himself  (of  which  presently).  [3.]  That 
"those  slain"  here  mean  those  who  were  rejected  by  wicked  spir- 
its and  concealed  by  the  Lord,  that  is,  removed  from  the  eyes 
of  others  and  preserved  to  the  day  of  the  last  judgment,  can  be 
seen  from  what  was  said  in  the  article  above,  also  from  what  fol- 
lows in  the  two  verses  in  which  they  are  specially  described.  In 
the  article  above  it  was  said  that  "  the  former  heaven  "  that  passed 
away  consisted  of  those  who  in  externals  lived  a  moral  life,  and 
yet  were  merely  natural  and  not  spiritual,  or  who  lived  a  sort  of 
spiritual  life  merely  from  an  afife6lion  or  love  for  fame,  honor,  glory, 
and  gain,  thus  for  the  sake  of  appearance.  Although  these  were 
inwardly  evil,  they,  nevertheless,  were  tolerated,  and  constituted 
societies  in  the  higher  places  in  the  spiritual  world.  These  socie- 
ties, taken  together,  were  called  a  heaven,  but  "  the  former  heaven  " 
that  afterwards  passed  away.  From  this  it  came  to  pass  that  all 
those  who  were  spiritual,  that  is,  who  were  inwardly  as  well  as  out- 
wardly good,  not  being  able  to  associate  with  these  withdrew  from 
them,  either  voluntarily  or  by  compulsion,  and  where\'er  found 
they  were  persecuted ;  on  this  account  they  were  concealed  by  the 
Lord  and  preserved  in  their  places  until  the  day  of  judgment,  that 
they  might  constitute  "  the  new  heaven."  These  therefore  are  those 
that  are  meant  by  "the  souls  of  those  slain  seen  under  the  altar." 
This  makes  clear  that  "those  slain"  signify  those  who  were  re- 
je6led  and  concealed,  for  they  were  hated  by  the  others  because 
of  Divine  truth  and  because  of  their  confession  of  the  Lord  ;  and 
those  who  are  hated  are  called  "those  slain,"  because  to  hate  is 
spiritually  to  slay.  That  such  are  meant  by  "the  souls  of  those 
slain,"  can  be  seen  further  from  what  follows  in  the  two  verses  where 
it  is  said  of  them,  "  And  they  were  crying  out  with  a  great  voice, 
saying.  How  long,  O  Lord,  who  art  holy  and  true,  dost  Thou  not 
judge  and  avenge  our  blood  on  those  that  dwell  on  the  earth  ?  And 
there  were  given  to  each  one  of  them  white  robes  ;  and  it  was  said 
unto  them  that  they  should  rest  yet  a  litde  time,  until  their  fellow- 
servants,  as  well  as  their  brethren,  who  were  to  be  killed,  as  they 
also  were,  should  be  fulfilled."  That  those  above  described  are 
meant  by  "those  slain,"  only  those  to  whom  it  has  been  revealed 
can  know ;  for  who  can  know,  except  by  revelation,  of  whom  "the 
former  heaven"  {Apoc.  xxi.  i)  consisted,  and  of  whom  "the  new 
heaven  "  was  formed ;  and  that  those  of  whom  the  new  heaven 
must  be  formed,  were  in  the  meantime  concealed  and  perserved 


84::  APOCALYPSK    KXPLAIXKD. 

by  the  Lord?  Ami  unless  these  things  had  been  revealed  to 
some  one,  all  things  contained  in  the  Apocalypse  in  its  internal 
sense  must  have  remained  hidden  ;  for  in  it  such  things  as  were  to 
take  place  in  the  spiritual  world  before  the  last  judgment,  and 
while  it  was  going  on,  and  after  it,  are  chiefly  treated  of. 

[ft.]  [4.]  That  "testimony"  signifies  confession  of  the  Lord, 
and  the  Lord  Himself,  can  be  seen  from  the  passages  in  the  Word 
that  follow.  This  signification  has  its  origin  from  this,  that  the 
Word  in  each  and  every  particular  testifies  respecting  the  Lord  ; 
for  in  its  inmost  sense  it  treats  exclusively  of  the  Lord,  and  in  its 
internal  sense  of  the  celestial  and  spiritual  things  that  go  forth 
from  the  Lord,  and  in  particular  the  Lord  testifies  respecting 
Himself  in  every  one  who  is  in  a  life  of  love  and  charity  ;  for  the 
Lord  flows  into  the  heart  and  life  of  such  and  teaches  them,  espe- 
cially respedling  His  Divine  Human ;  for  He  enables  those  who 
are  in  a  life  of  love  to  think  of  God  under  a  human  form,  and 
God  under  a  human  form  is  the  Lord.  The  simple  in  the  Christ- 
ian world  so  think,  also  the  heathen  who  live  in  charity  according 
to  their  religion.  Both  these  are  astonished  when  they  hear  the 
learned  speak  of  God  as  not  to  be  thought  of  in  any  human  form, 
for  thev  know  that  thinking  thus  they  could  see  in  thought  no 
God,  and  therefore  could  have  little  belief  in  the  existence  of  a 
God,  since  a  faith  which  is  a  faith  of  charity  wishes  to  comprehend 
in  some  measure  what  is  believed  ;  for  faith  is  of  thought,  and  to 
think  what  is  incomprehensible  is  not  to  think,  but  only  to  have 
knowledge  and  to  speak  from  that  without  any  idea.  Angels, 
even  the  wisest,  think  of  God  only  as  in  the  human  form  ;  it  is 
impossible  for  them  to  think  otherwise,  for  the  reason  that  their 
perceptions  flow  according  to  the  form  of  hea\'en,  which  is  the 
human  form  from  the  Lord's  Divine  Human  (on  which  see  Heaven 
and  Hell,  n.  59-86)  ;  and  for  the  reason  that  the  affections  from  which 
are  their  thoughts,  are  from  influx,  and  influx  is  from  the  Lord. 
This  has  been  said  to  make  known  why  "testimony"  signifies  the 
Lord,  namely,  because  the  Lord  testifies  respedling  Himself  with 
all  who  accept  His  testimony,  and  these  are  such  as  live  a  life  of 
love  to  the  Lord,  and  a  life  of  charity  towards  the  neighbor. 
These  accept  His  testimony  and  confess  Him,  because  a  life  of 
love  and  charity  opens  the  interior  mind  by  influx  of  light  from 
heaven,  for  a  life  of  love  and  charity  is  the  Divine  Life  itself;  for 
the  Lord  loves  every  one,  and  does  good  to  every  one  from  love  ; 
consequently  where  that  life  is  received  the  Lord  is  present  and 


CHAP,    VI.,  VERSE  9. — N.   392[af].  843 

is  conjoined  to  the  man,  and  thus  flows  into  his  higher  mind, 
which  is  called  the  spiritual  mind,  and  by  light  from  Himseli 
opens  it. 

[c,]  [5.]  That  "testimony"  signifies  the  Lord,  and  with  man 
confession  of  the  Lord  from  the  heart,  and  in  particular,  acknow- 
ledgement of  the  Lord's  Divine  in  His  Human,  can  be  seen  from 
this,  that  the  law  which  was  given  on  Mount  Sinai  and  written 
upon  two  tables,  and  afterwards  placed  in  the  ark,  is  called  the 
"  testimony ;"  consequently  the  ark  was  called  "  the  ark  of  the 
testimony,"  and  the  tables  were  called  "  the  tables  of  testimony  ;" 
and  because  this  was  most  holy,  the  mercy-seat  was  placed  upon 
the  ark,  and  over  the  mercy-seat  were  sculptured  two  cherubim, 
between  which  Jehovah,  that  is,  the  Lord,  spoke  with  Moses  and 
Aaron.  This  makes  clear  that  "testimony"  signifies  the  Lord 
Himself;  otherwise  the  mercy-seat  would  not  have  been  placed 
upon  the  ark,  nor  would  the  Lord  have  spoken  with  Moses  and 
Aaron  between  the  cherubim  which  were  over  the  mercy-seat. 
Moreover,  when  Aaron  entered  within  the  veil,  which  he  did  once 
every  year,  he  was  first  sanctified,  and  afterwards  he  burnt  incense 
till  the  smoke  of  the  incense  covered  the  mercy-seat ;  it  is  said  that 
unless  he  did  this  he  would  have  died.  From  this  it  is  clearly 
evident  that  the  testimony  that  was  in  the  ark,  and  that  was  the 
law  given  on  Mount  Sinai  and  written  on  two  tables  of  stone,  sig- 
nified the  Lord  Himself.  [6.]  That  the  law  is  called  "the  testi- 
mony" is  evident  in  Moses  : 

"  Thou  shalt  put  into  the  ark  the  testimony  which  I  shall  give  thee  "  {Exod. 

XXV.  16). 
"  He  put  the  testimony  into  the  ark  "  {Exod.  xl.  20). 
"The  mercy-seat  that  is  upon  the  testimony"  (Lev.  xvi.  13). 
"  Lay  up  "  the  rods  of  the  tribes  "  before  the  testimony"  {Num.  nvii. 

4). 
That  the  tables  and  the  ark  were  therefore  called  the  tables  and  the  ark 

of  the  testimony  {Exod.  xxv.  22 ;  xxxi.  7,  18  ;  xxxii.  15). 
That  the  mercy-seat  was  placed  upon  it,  and  over  the  mercy-seat  two 

sculptured  cherubim  {Exod.  xxv.  17-22  ;  xxvi.  34). 
That  the  Lord  spake  with  Moses  and  with  Aaron  between  the  two  cher- 
ubim {Exod,  xxv.  16,  21,  22  ;  Num.  xvii.  4;  and  elsewhere). 
That  they  sancflified  themselves  before  they  entered  thither,  and  that 

the  smoke  of  the  incense  covered  the  mercy-seat  lest  they  should 

die  {Lev.  xvi,). 

[«!•]  [7.]  That  "testimony  "signifies  tlie  Lord  is  evident  also 
from  this,  that  what  was  upon  the  ark  was  called  the  mercy-seat 
{fropUiaiorium),  and  the  Lord  is  a  propitiator :  and  the  ark,  from 
the  testimony  in  it,  was  the  holy  of  holies,  both  in  the  tabernacle 


S44  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

and  in  the  temple,  and  from  this  the  tabernacle  was  holy,  and  also 
the  temple.  The  tabernacle  rej)resented  heaven,  also  the  temple, 
and  heaven  is  heaven  from  the  Lord's  Divine  Human  ;  from  this 
it  follows  that  "testimony"  signifies  the  Lord  in  respedt  to  His 

Divine  Human.  (That  "the  tabernacle  of  meeting"  represented  heaven,  see 
A.C.,n.  9457,  9481,  9485,  10545;  likewise  the  temple,  see  above,  n.  220;  and  that 
heaven    is    heaven    from    the  Lord's    Divine    Human,  see  Heaven   and  Hell.   n. 

59-86.)  The  law  proclaimed  from  Mount  Sinai  is  called  "  the  testi- 
mony" because  that  law,  in  a  broad  sense,  signifies  the  whole 
Word,  both  historical  and  prophetical ;  and  the  Word  is  the  Lord, 
according  to  these  words  in  yohn  : 

"  In  the  beginning  was  the  Word,  and  the  Word  was  with  God,  and  the 
Word  was  God  ;. . .  .and  the  Word  was  made  flesh"  (i.  r,  14). 

The  Word  is  the  Lord  because  the  Word  signifies  Divine  truth, 
and  all  Divine  truth  goes  forth  from  the  Lord,  for  it  is  the  light 
that  enlightens  the  minds  of  angels  in  heaven  and  also  the  minds 
of  men,  and  gives  them  wisdom  :  this  light  in  its  essence  is  Di- 
vine truth  going  forth  from  the  Lord  as  a  sun  (of  which  light,  see 
Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  126-140) ;  therefore  it  is  added,  "  the  Word  was  with 
God,  and  the  Word  was  God."     It  is  also  said  in  yohn: 

"  In  Him  was  life  ;  and  the  life  was  the  light  of  men That  was 

the  true  Light,  which  lighteth  every  man  coming  into  the  world  " 
(verse  4,  9,  in  that  chapter). 

[8.]  This  makes  clear  that  the  Lord  is  meant  by  "  testimony  ;"  for 
the  law  written  on  the  two  tables,  which  was  called  the  "testimo- 
ny," signifies  the  Word  in  the  whole  complex,  and  the  Lord  is  the 

Word.  (Tliat  "  the  law  "  in  a  broad  sense,  signifies  the  Word  in  the  whole  com- 
plex', in  a  sense  less  broad  the  historical  Word,  and  in  a  stridl  sense  the  ten  com- 
mandments of  the  decalogue,  see  A.C.,  n.  6762.)       This  law  waS  also  Called 

"a  covenant,"  and  so  the  tables  on  which  it  was  written  were 
called  "the  tables  of  the  covenant,"  and  the  ark  was  called  "the 
ark  of  the  covenant" 

(see  Exod.  xxxiv.  28  ;  Num.  xiv.  44 ;    Deut.  ix.  g,  15 ;  Apoc.  xi.  19 ;  and 
elsewhere) ; 

and  this  because  "covenant"  signifies  conjun6lion,  and  theWoi"d 
or  Divine  truth  is  what  conjoins  man  with  the  Lord ;  this  is  the 

only  ground  of  conjunction.  (That  "covenant"  signifies  conjuncSlion,  see 
A.C.,  n.  665,  666,  1023,  1038,  1864,  1996,  2003,  2021,  6804,  8767,  8778,  9396,  10632.) 

This  law  is  called  both  "a  covenant"  and  "a  testimony,"  because 
when  called  "a  covenant"  it  means  the  Word  by  which  there  is 
conjunction;  and  when  called  "a  testimony"  it  means  the  Lord 


CHAP.   VI.,  VERSE  9. — N.  392[<?].  845 

Himself  who  conjoins  ;  also  on  man's  part,  confession  of  the  Lord 
and  acknowledgment  of  His  Divine  in  His  Human,  for  these  con- 
join. From  this  it  can  be  seen  why  the  Word  is  called  in  the 
church  "a  Covenant,"  the  Word  before  the  Lord's  coming- " the 
Old  Covenant,"  and  that  after  His  coming  "the  New  Covenant ;" 
it  is  called  also  "the  Old  and  New  Testament,"  but  it  might  bet- 
ter be  called  "the  Testimony." 

[c]  [9.]  That  "testimony  "  signifies  the  Lord,  and  on  man's 
part  confession  of  the  Lord  and  acknowledgment  of  His  Divine 
in  His  Human,  is  evident  also  from  these  passages  in  the  Word. 
In  the  Apocalypse : 

"  They  overcame"  the  dragon  "by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  and  by  the 

Word  of  the  testimony And  the  dragon  was  wroth,.  .  .  .and 

went  away  to  make  war  with  the  remnant  of  her  seed,  that  keep 
the  commandments  of  God,  and  have  the  testimony  of  Jesus  Christ " 
(xii.  II,  17). 

And  elsewhere, 

"  I  am  a  fellow-servant  of  thine,  and  of  thy  brethren  that  hold  the  testi- 
mony of  Jesus The  testimony  of  Jesus  is  the  spirit  of  proph- 
ecy "  (xix.  10). 

"  The  testimony  of  Jesus  is  the  sj^irit  of  prophecy  "  signifies  that 
confession  of  the  Lord  and  acknowledgment  of  His  Divine  in  His 
His  Human  is  the  life  of  all  truth,  both  in  the  Word  and  in  doc- 
trine from  the  Word.     [10.]    And  elsewhere, 

"The  souls  of  those  slain  with  an  axe  for  the  testimony  of  Jesus,  and 
for  the  Word  of  God, ....  received  not  the  mark  upon  their  forehead 
and  upon  their  hand  "  (xx.  4). 

These  passages  will  be  explained  in  what  follows.     In  David  : 

"Jerusalem  is  builded  as  a  city  that  is  compacft  together  ;  and  thither 
the  tribes  go  up,  the  tribes  of  Jah.a  testimony  to  Israel,  to  confess 
to  the  name  of  Jehovah.  For  there  are  set  thrones  for  judgment" 
(Psalm  cxxii.  3-5). 

"Jerusalem"  signifies  the  church  in  relation  to  do6trine,  which  is 
said  to  be  "builded"  when  it  is  established  by  the  Lord  ;  "as  a 
city  that  is  compadl  together"  signifies  do(?l;rine  in  which  all  things 
are  in  order,  "city"  meaning  do6lrine  ;  "thither  the  tribes  go  up, 
the  tribes  of  Jah,"  signifies  that  in  it  are  all  truths  and  goods  in 
the  complex;  "a  testimony  to  Israel,  to  confess  to  the  name  of 
Jehovah,"  signifies  confession  and  acknowledgment  of  the  Lord 
there  :  "for  there  are  set  thrones  for  judgment"  signifies  that  Di- 
vine truth  is  there  according  to  which  judgment  is  executed. 
That  this  is  what  "thrones"  signify,  see  above  (n.  253M).  [II.]  In 
the  same, 


846  Apocalypsi;  i:.\i'i.aini:d. 

Jehovah  "hath  set  up  a  testimony  in  Jacob,  and... a  law  in  Israel'* 
{Psalm  Ixxviii.  5). 

"Jacol)"  and  "Israel"  signify  the  church,  "Jacob"  the  external 
church,  and  "Israel"  the  internal  church;  and  "testimony"  and 
"law"  signify  the  Word,  "testimony"  that  in  the  Word  which 
teaches  goods  of  life,  and  "law"  that  in  it  which  teaches  truths 
of  do6trine.  Because  those  who  are  in  the  external  church  are 
in  good  of  life  according  to  truths  of  doctrine,  and  those  who 
are  in  the  internal  church  are  in  truths  of  doctrine  according  to 
which  is  the  life,  so  "testimony"  is  predicated  of  Jacob,  and  "the 
law  "  of  Israel.     [12.]    In  the  same, 

"  If  thy  sons  shall  have  kept  My  covenant,  and  the  testimony  that  I  shall 
teach  them,  thy  sons  shall  sit  upon  the  throne  for  thee  for  evermore  " 
{Psalm  cxxxii.  12). 

This  is  said  of  David,  but  David  here  means  the  Lord  ;  "  his  sons  " 
mean  those  who  do  the  Lord's  commandments  ;  of  such  it  is  said, 
"if  thy  sons  shall  have  kept  My  covenant  and  My  testimony, "^ 
"covenant"  meaning  the  same  as  "law"  above,  namely,  truth  of 
do<5trine,  and  "  testimony  "  the  same  as  "  testimony"  above,  namely^ 
good  of  life  according  to  truths  of  do6trine.  Like  things  are  sig- 
nified by  "covenant"  and  "testimonies"  in  David  {Psalm  xxv. 
10).  [13.]  "Testimonies"  are  mentioned  in  many  passages  in 
the  W^ord,  together  with  "law,"  "precepts,"  "commandments," 
"statutes,"  and  "judgments;"  and  "testimonies  and  command- 
ments" there  signify  such  things  as  teach  life,  "law  and  pre- 
cepts" such  as  teach  doctrine,  "statutes  and  judgments"  such  as 
teach  rituals  ;  as  in  the  following  passages  in  David, 

"  The  law  of  Jehovah  is  perfecfl,  refreshing  the  soul ;  the  testimony  of 
Jehovah  is  sure,  making  wise  the  simple.  The  commandments  of 
Jehovah  are  right,  rejoicing  the  heart ;  the  precept  of  Jehovah  is 
pure,  enlightening  the  eyes  ;...  .the  judgments  of  Jehovah  are 
truth,  they  are  righteous  altogether  "  {Psalm  xix.  7-9). 

In  the  same, 

"  Blessed  are  the  upright  in  the  way,  who  walk  in  the  law  of  Jehovah. 
Blessed  are  they  that  keep  His  testimonies,  that  seek  Him  with 

fhe  whole  heart Thou  hast  enjoined  Thy  commandments 

to  be  strictly  kept.  O  that  my  ways  may  be  diredled  for  keeping 
Thy  statutes !  Then  shall  I  not  be  ashamed,  when  I  have  respedl 
unto  all  Thy  precepts.  1  will  confess  to  thee  in  uprightness  of 
heart,  when  I  shall  have  learned  the  judgments  of  Thy  righteous- 
ness" {Psalm  cxix.  1-7  ;  in  like  manner  in  verses  12-15,  88,  89, 
151-156,  etc.). 

393»   [  ^^^^^  ^°^   "And  they  were   crying   out  with  a  great 
voice"  signifies  their  grief  of  mijid. — This  is  evident  from  the 


CHAP.   VI.,    VERSE    II. — N.   394.  S47 

signification  of  "  to  cry  out,"  as  meaning  vehement  grid"  of  mind, 
for  this  manifests  itself  by  the  sound  of  crying  out  in  speech; 
consequently  "  crying  out "  in  the  Word  signifies  grief.  Moreover, 
every  afife6lion,  whether  of  grief  or  joy,  expresses  itself  by  sounds, 
and  ideas  of  thought  by  articulations  in  the  sound.  This  is  why 
sound  in  speech  manifests  both  the  quality  and  measure  of  the 
affection,  and  this  more  clearly  in  the  spiritual  world  than  in  the 
natural  world,  for  the  reason  that  it  is  permitted  there  to  show 
forth  no  affections  except  those  that  are  the  mind's  own.  In  the 
spiritual  world,  therefore,  any  one  who  is  wise  can  hear  and  per- 
ceive the  affe6lion  of  another,  solely  from  his  speech.     (That  with 

spirits  and  angels  sounds  belong  to  afFec^-tion,  and  words  to  ideas  of  the  thought,  see  in 
Heaven  and  Hell,  \\.  241,  and  above,  n.  323[(z].)       That    "  tO    cry  OUt,"   and 

"a  crying  out,"  in  the  Word,  signify  grief,  is  evident  from  many 
passages,  of  which  I  will  cite  this  only  from  Isaiah  : 

"  Heshbon  cried  out,  and  Elealeh  ;  their  voice  was  heard  even  to  Jahaz ; 
therefore  the  armed  men  of  Moab  shall  shout ;  his  soul  shall  be 
sick  within  him.  My  heart  crieth  out  over  Moab  :.  .  .for  a  crying 
out  is  gone  round  about  the  borders  of  Moab,  the  howling  thereof 
even  unto  Eglaim  "  (xv.  4,  5,  8). 

Because  "crying  out"  signifies  grief,  it  is  customary  to  speak  of 
"crying  out  unto  God,"  when  the  mind  is  in  a  state  of  grief 

(as  in  Isa.  xix.  20  ;  xxx.  19  ;  Ixv.  19  ;  Jer.  xiv.  2  ;  and  elsewhere). 

That  "crying  out"  in  the  Word  is  predicated  of  various  affections, 
such  as  interior  lamentation,  beseeching  and  supplication  from 
anguish,  attestation  and  indignation,  confession,  supplication,  and 
also  exultation  and  other  states  (see  A.C.,  n.  2240,  2821,  2841,  4779,  7782, 
5016,  5018,  5027. 5323,  5365,  5870,  6801, 6802,  6862,  7119,  7142,  8179,  8353,  9202). 
3^4,  "Saying,  How  long,  0  Lord,  who  art  holy  and  true,  dost 
Thou  not  Judge  and  avenge  our  blood  upon  those  that  dwell  on  the 
earth  ?"  signifies  siglu'ugs  to  the  Lord,  who  is  righteousness,  re- 
spelling  the  J7idgme7it  and  removal  of  those  who  persecute  and  in- 
fest those  who  openly  acknowledge  the  Lord  and  are  in  a  life  of 
charity.— 'Wvv^  is  evident  from  the  signification  of  "crying  out  and 
saying.  How  long,  O  Lord,"  as  meaning  to  pour  out  to  the  Lord 
sighs  from  grief,  for  these  are  the  words  of  those  that  groan  and 
sigh  and  supplicate  for  justice.  Also  from  the  signification  of 
"who  art  holy  and  true,"  as  meaning  the  One  who  is  Righteous- 
ness ;  for  righteousness,  when  predicated  of  the  Lord,  signifies 
that  He  does  not  tolerate  such  things,  and  this  because  He  is  holy 
and  true.    Also  from  the  signification  of  "  to  judge  and  avenge  our 


848  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

blood,"  as  ineanino  the  judL^mcnt  and  rcino\al  of  those  who  per- 
secute and  infest  those  who  openly  acknowledge  the  Lord  and  are 
in  a  life  of  charity.  This  is  the  signification  of  these  words  because 
"blood"  signifies  all  \iolence  offered  to  Divine  good  and  Divine 
truth,  thus  to  the  Lord  ;  consequentl)'  \iolence  offered  to  those 
who  are  in  a  life  of  charity  and  faith.  To  offer  violence  to  such 
is  to  offer  violence  to  the  Lord  Himself,  according  to  the  words 
of  the  Lord  Himself  in  Matthew  : 

"  Inasmuch  as  ye  did  it  unto  one  of  My  brethren,  even  the  least,  ye  did 
it  unto  Me  "  (xxv.  40,  45). 

That  this  is  signified  by  "  blood  "  in  this  sense,  may  be  seen  above 
{n.  ^2g[/,^]).  Also  from  the  signification  of  "those  that  dwell  on 
the  earth,"  as  meaning  those  who  were  in  "the  former  heaven" 
that  afterwards  passed  away,  for  those  dwelt  in  the  spiritual  world 
upon  the  earth,  upon  mountains,  hills,  and  rocks,  while  those  who 
acknowledged  the  Lord  and  were  in  a  life  of  charit)'  were  re- 
tained under  the  earth,  or  under  heaven,  and  were  there  concealed 
and  preserved  (seeabove,  n.39i[(;].392[a]).  [2.]  From  this  the  mean- 
ing of  these  words  in  their  genuine  sense  can  be  seen  ;  but  no 
one  can  know  that  such  things  are  meant  unless  it  has  been  re- 
vealed to  him.  For  otherwise  who  could  know  who  are  meant 
by  "the  souls  of  those  slain,"  and  what  is  meant  by  "to  avenge 
their  blood  upon  those  that  dwell  on  the  earth?"  One  who 
does  not  know  from  revelation  who  these  are  must  conclude  that 
the  martyrs  only  are  meant»,  but  these  were  not  the  martyrs,  but 
all  such  as  were  persecuted  and  infested  by  those  who  were  in  the 
former  heaven  that  passed  away ;  for  these  were  interiorly  evil, 
and  therefore  such  that  they  thrust  out  from  themselves  all  who 
openly  acknowledged  the  Lord  and  were  in  a  life  of  charity  (as  has 

been  said  above,  n.  39I[a],  ^g2[a]).      To  this  I  will  add  the  following: 

All  in  the  spiritual  world  who  are  interiorly  evil,  however  moral  a  life 
in  externals  they  may  have  lived  in  the  world,  are  utterly  unable  to 
tolerate  any  one  who  worships  the  Lord  and  lives  a  life  of  charity  ; 
as  soon  as  they  see  such,  they  infest  and  either  do  them  injury  or 
treat  them  shamefully.  I  have  often  wondered  at  this,  and  all  who 
do  not  know  about  it  must  wonder,  since  these  same  persons,  when 
in  the  world,  tolerated  preachings  respe61:ing  the  Lord  and  re- 
spe6ling  charity,  and  themselves  talked  about  these  things  doc- 
trinally,  yet  when  they  become  spirits  they  cannot  tolerate  them. 
The  reason  is  that  this  aversion  is  inherent  in  the  evil  in  which 
they  are ;  for  in  their  evil  there  is  hostility,  yea,  hatred  against 


CHAP.    VI.,  VERSE    II. — N.   395[«].  849 

the  Lord,  and  against  those  who  are  led  by  the  Lord,  who  are 
such  as  are  in  a  hfe  of  charity  ;  but  this  hostility  and  this  hatred  lie 
concealed  in  their  spirit ;  consequently  when  they  Ijecome  spir- 
its they  are  in  theni  ;  then  that  aversion  or  antagonism  inherent 
in  evil  comes  forth.  [3.]  Take,  for  example,  those  in  whom  the 
love  of  ruling  has  predominated  ;  it  is  their  delight  to  rule  over 
others,  and  if  possible  over  all ;  this  delight  is  in  them  after  death, 
nor  can  it  be  removed,  since  every  delight  is  of  the  love,  and  the 
predominant  love  constitutes  the  life  of  every  one,  and  this  life 
continues  to  eternity.  When  these  have  become  spirits,  they 
strive  continually,  from  the  delight  of  their  love,  to  gain  dominion 
over  others  as  they  did  in  the  world  ;  and  when  they  are  unable 
to  obtain  it,  they  are  enraged  against  the  Lord  ;  and  as  they  are 
unable  to  harm  the  Lord  Himself,  they  are  enraged  against  those 
who  openly  acknowledge  Him  ;  for  the  delight  of  their  love  is 
contrary  to  the  delight  of  heavenly  love  ;  this  delight  is  that  the 
Lord  may  rule,  while  the  other  delight  is  that  they  th(  mselves 
may  rule  ;  this  is  why  there  is  inherent  in  this  delight  a  hatred 
against  the  Lord  and  against  all  who  are  led  by  Him,  who  are  those 
who  are  in  a  life  of  charity.  From  this  it  can  be  seen  v\  liy  those 
who  openly  acknowledged  the  Lord  and  lived  a  life  of  charity  were 
delivered  by  the  Lord  from  the  violence  of  such  spirits,  and  were 
concealed  in  the  lower  earth,  and  there  preserved  until  the  judg- 
ment. But  after  the  judgment  those  who  had  dwelt  above  the 
earth,  upon  the  mountains,  hills,  and  rocks,  who  were,  as  said 
above,  interiorly  evil,  were  cast  out ;  and  those  who  had  been  hid- 
den under  the  earth,  or  under  heaven,  were  raised  up  and  allotted 
an  inheritance  in  the  places  that  the  ibrmer  were  cast  out  of.  From 
this  it  can  now  be  more  fully  comprehended  what  is  meant  by 
what  is  said  to  them  in  the  next  verse,  that  "they  should  rest  yet 
a  little  time,  until  they  should  be  fulfilled." 

395[«].  [Terse  II.]  "And  there  were  given  to  each  of  them 
white  robes"  signifies  Divi?ie  truth  from  the  Lord  with  them,  and 
proteflion. — This  is  evident  from  the  signification  of  "a  white 
robe,"  as  meaning  Divine  truth  from  the  Lord,  for  "robe"  signi- 
fies truth  in  general, because  it  is  a  general  covering  ;  and  "white" 
is  predicated  of  truths  which  are  from  the  Lord  ;  for  whiteness  per- 
tains to  light,  and  the  light  that  goes  forth  from  the  Lord  as  a  sun 
is  in  its  essence  Divine  truth.  That  "there  were  given  to  each 
one  of  them  white  robes"  signifies  also  protection,  will  be  told 
further  on  ;  let  it  first  be  told  why  "  a  white  robe  "  signifies  Divine 
truth  from  the  Lord.     All  spirits  and  angels  are  clothed  accord- 


850  APOCALYPSE   EXPLAINED. 

ing  to  their  intelligciice,  that  is,  according  to  their  reception  of 
truth  in  the  Hie,  this  constituting  inteUigence ;  for  the  light  of  their 
intelHgence  is  formed  into  garments,  and  when  these  are  thus 
formed  tliey  do  not  merely  appear  as  garments,  they  are  gar- 
ments. For  all  things  that  have  existence  in  the  spiritual  world, 
and  appear  before  the  eyes  of  those  there,  have  their  existence 
from  the  light  and  heat  that  go  forth  from  the  Lord  as  a  sun  ; 
from  that  origin  have  been  created  and  formed  not  only  all  things 
in  the  spiritual  world,  but  all  things  in  the  natural  world  as 
well ;  for  the  natural  world  has  existence  and  permanence  by 
means  of  the  spiritual  world  from  the  Lord.  From  this  it 
can  be  seen  that  the  appearances  that  have  existence  in  heaven 
before  the  angels  are  entirely  real ;  in  like  manner  the  gar- 
ments. As  spirits  and  angels  are  clothed  according  to  intelli- 
gence, and  all  intelligence  is  of  truth,  and  angelic  intelligence  is 
of  Divine  truth,  so  they  are  clothed  according  to  truths  ;  this  is 
why  "garments"  signify  truths  ;  "garments"  that  are  next  to  the 
body,  that  is,  inner  garments,  signify  interior  truths ;  but  gar- 
ments that  are  outside  of  these  and  encompass  them,  signify  exte- 
rior truths  ;  therefore  "a  robe,"  "a  mantle,"  and  "a  cloak,"  w^hich 
are  general  coverings,  signify  truths  in  general,  and  "white  robe" 
Divine  truth  in  general  which  they  have  from  the  Lord.     (But  see 

what  hns  been  shown  respe(5ting  The  Garments  with  which  Angels  are  Clothed,  in 
Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  177-182 ;  and  what  has  been  said  above  about  the  significa- 
tion of  garments,  n.  64,  65,  1 95,  27 1.)  [2.]  "  There  were  given  to  those 
who  were  under  the  altar  white  robes  "  signifies  also  protedlion  by 
the  Lord,  because  "  the  white  robes  "  given  to  them  represented  the 
presence  about  them  of  the  Lord  with  Divine  truth  ;  and  by  means 
of  Divine  truth  the  Lord  protefts  His  own,  for  He  surrounds  them 
with  a  sphere  of  light,  from  which  they  have  white  robes  ;  and  when 
encompassed  by  this  sphere  they  can  no  longer  be  infested  by 
evil  spirits  ;  for,  as  said  above,  they  were  infested  by  evil  spirits, 
and  were  therefore  hidden  by  the  Lord.  This  also  takes  place 
with  those  who  are  raised  up  by  the  Lord  into  heaven.  They  are 
then  clothed  with  white  garments,  which  is  a  proof  that  they  are 
in  Divine  truth,  and  thus  in  safety.  But  respecting  those  who 
were  clothed  in  white  robes  more  will  be  shown  in  the  explanation 
of  the  following  chapter  (at  verses  g,  13-17). 

[6.]  [3.]  That  "robe,"  "mantle,"  and  "cloak"  signify  Divine 
truth  in  general  can  be  seen  also  from  the  following  passages. 
In  Zcchariah  : 

"  The  prophets  shall  be  ashamed  every  one  of  his  vision  which  he  hath 
prophesied  ;  neither  shall  they  wear  a  mantle  of  hair  to  deceive ' 
(xiii.  4). 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE    II. — N.  395[<J].  851 

"  rro))lKts"  si^jnify  those  who  teach  truths  from  the  Word,  and 
ia  an  a!)stracl  sense,  truths  of  do6lrine  from  the  Word  ;  and  be- 
cause of  this  signification  of  "prophets"  they  were  clothed  with  a 
mantle  of  hair,  "mantle  of  hair"  signifying  Divine  truth  in  out- 
mosts,  which  is  Divine  truth  in  general,  for  the  outmost  contains 
all  things  interior  ;  "  hair,"  too,  signifies  what  is  outmost.  This  is 
w  hy 

Elijah,  from  his  mantle,  was  called  "a  hairy  man  "  (2  Kings  i.  7,  8) ; 
And  John  the  Baptist,  who  was  as  Elijah  by  reason  of  a  like  represent- 
ation, had  "a  garment  of  camel's  hair"  {Matt.  iii.  4). 

This  makes  clear  the  signification  of  "the  prophets  shall  not  wear 
a  mantle  of  hair  to  deceive,"  namely,  that  they  shall  not  declare 
truths  to  be  falsities,  and  falsities  to  be  truths ;  this  is  what  is  sig- 
nified by  "deceiving."  [4.]  Because  Elijah  represented  the  Lord 
in  relation  to  the  Word,  which  is  the  very  doctrine  of  truth,  and 
Elisha  continued  the  representation,  and  because  "mantle"  signi- 
fied Divine  truth  in  general,  which  is  the  Word  in  outmosts,  so 
the  mantle  of  Elijah  passed  to  Elisha  ;  and  moreover,  Elijah's 
mantle  di\'ided  the  waters  of  Jordan,  according  to  these  statements 
in  the  Books  of  the  Kings  : 

When  Elijah  found  Elisha  "he  cast  his  mantle  upon  him  "  (i  Kings  xix. 

19). 
'Elijah  took  his  mantle,  and  wrapped  it  together,  and  smote  the  waters  " 

of  Jordan,  "  and  they  were  divided  hither  and  thither,  and  they 

two  went  over  on  dry  ground  "  (2  Kings  ii.  8). 
"  Elisha  seeing  "  when  Elijah  went  up  by  a  whirlwind  into  heaven,  "  took 

up  the  mantle  of  Elijah  that  fell  from  him,  and  went  back,  and 

stood  by  the  bank   of  Jordan;    and   he  took  the  mantle.  ..  .and 

smote  the  waters,.  ..  .and   they  were  divided   hither  and  thither, 

and  he  went  over"  (2  Kings  ii.  12-14). 

"Elijah's  casting  his  mantle  upon  Elisha  "  signified  the  transfer- 
ence to  Elisha  of  the  representation  of  the  Lord  in  relation  to  the 
Word  ;  and  that  "the  mantle  fell  from  Elijah  when  he  was  taken 
away,  and  was  taken  up  by  Elisha,"  signified  that  this  representation 
was  then  transferred  to  Elisha,  for  Elijah  and  Elisha  represented 
the  Lord  in  relation  to  the  Word;  and  thev  were  clothed  accord- 
ing to  what  they  represented,  "  the  mantle  "  signifving  the  Word  in 
outmosts,  which  is  Di\'ine  truth  in  general,  or  Divine  truth  in  the 
whole  complex.  "  The  dividing  of  the  waters  of  Jordan  by  Elijah's 
mantle,"  first  by  Elijah  and  afterwards  by  Elisha,  signified  the 
power  of  Divine  truth  in  outmosts  ;  "  the  waters  of  Jordan  "  signify- 
ing, moreover,  the  first  truths  through  which  there  is  introduction 
into  the  church,  and  these  first  truths  are  such  as  are  in  the  out- 
mosts of  the  Word.    From  this,  too,  it  can  be  seen  that  "a  mantle" 


S52  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAlxNEU. 

and  "a  robe"  signify  Divine  truth  in  general,  diiat  '  Elijah "  repre- 
sented the  Lord  in  relation  to  the  Word,  so,  too,  "  Elisha,"  sec  ,-i.C'.,n.  2762,  5247. 
That  the  outmost  contains  the  interior  things,  and  thus  signifies  all  things  in  gene- 
ral, n.  634,  6239,  6465,  9215,  9216.  9828  ;  that  thus  strength  and  power  are  in  out- 
mosts,  n.  9836  ;  that  "  Jordan  "  signifies  entrance  into  the  church,  and  thus  "  the  wa- 
ters of  Jordan  "  signify  the  first  truths  through  which  there  is  entrance,  n.  1585.  4255  ; 
and  that  "waters"  mean  truths,  see  above,  n.  71.)  First  truths  are  also 
outmost  truths,  such  as  are  in  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word, 
for  through  these  entrance  is  effedled,  for  these  are  first  learned, 
and  in  them  are  all  interior  things  which  constitute  the  internal 
sense  of  the  Word. 

[c]  [5.]  One  who  does  not  know  what  "robe"  or  "man- 
tle" signifies,  does  not  know  what  "cloak"  signifies,  for  a  cloak, 
as  well  as  a  mantle,  was  a  general  garment,  encompassing  the 
tunic  or  inner  garment,  therefore  it  has  the  same  signification. 
Neither  does  he  know  what  was  signified  by  Saul's  rending  the 
skirt  of  Samuel's  cloak  ;  by  David's  cutting  ofif  the  skirt  of  Saul's 
cloak  ;  by  Jonathan's  giving  David  his  cloak  and  garments  ;  and 
by  king's  daughters  being  arrayed  in  cloaks  of  various  colors  ; 
neither  does  he  know  the  meaning  of  many  other  passages  in 
which  cloaks  are  mentioned  in  the  Word.  Of  Saul's  rending  the 
skirt  of  Samuel's  cloak,  we  read, 

"Samuel  turned  about  to  go  away,  but  he  laid  hold  upon  the  skirt  of  his 
cloak,  and  it  was  rent.  And  Samuel  said,  Jehovah  hath  rent  the 
kingdom  of  Israel  from  thee  this  day,  and  hath  given  it  to  thy 
companion,  who  is  better  than  thou  "  (i  Sam.  xv.  27,  28). 

The  words  of  Samuel  make  clear  that  "the  rending  of  the  skirt 
of  the  cloak"  signified  the  rending  of  the  kingdom  from  Saul,  for 
he  said  after  it  was  done,  "Jehovah  hath  rent  the  kingdom  of  Is- 
rael from  thee  this  day,"  "a  king"  and  "his  kingdom"  signifying 
the  Divine  truth  of  the  church,  and  "the  skirt  of  a  cloak  "  signify- 
ing Divine  truth  in  outmosts,  that  is,  all  Divine  truth  in  general ; 
for  the  kings  that  were  over  the  sons  of  Israel  represented  the 
Lord  in  relation  to  Divine  truth,  and  their  kingdom  signified 
the  church  in  relation  to  Divine  truth  ;  therefore  this  historical 
fa6l  signifies  that  king  .Saul  was  such  that  he  could  no  longer  re- 
present the  Lord,  and  that  the  representation  of  the  church  would 
perish  if  the  kingdom  were  not  rent  from  him.  (That  "  kings "  repre- 
sented the  Lord  in  relation  to  Divine  truth,  and  thus  "a  kingdom  "  signified  the 
church  in  relation  to  Divine  truth,  see  above,  n.  29,  3I.)      [6.]     The  same  is 

signified  by  David's  cutting  oflf  the  skirt  of  Saul's  cloak,  which  is 
thus  described, 

David  entered  into  the  cave  where  Saul  was,  and  cut  off  the  skirt  of  his 
cloak,  and  when  he  afterwards  showed  it  to  Saul,  Saul  said,  "  Now 
I  know  that  thou  shalt  reign,  and  the  kingdom  of  Israel  shall  be 
established  in  thy  hand"(i  Sam.  xxiv.  3-5,  11,  20). 


CHAP.  VI.,   VERSE    II. — N.  395[^].  853 

This  was  done  by  David  of  Divine  Providence,  that  the  same 
thing  might  be  represented  as  above,  "skirt  of  the  cloak,"  and 
"king  Saul  and  his  kingdom,"  having  the  same  meaning  as  above. 
[7.]  That  Jonathan  the  son  of  Saul  stripped  himself  of  his  cloak 
and  his  garments,  and  gave  them  to  David,  which  is  described  as 
follows,  has  the  same  signification, 

"Jonathan  stripped  himself  of  the  cloak  that  was  upon  him,  and  gave  it 
to  David,  and  his  garments,  and  even  his  sword  and  his  bow  and 
his  girdle  "  (i  Sam.  xviii.  4). 

This  signified  that  Jonathan,  the  heir  to  the  kingdom,  transferred 
all  his  right  to  David  ;  for  all  the  things  that  Jonathan  gave  to 
David  were  representative  of  the  kingdom,  that  is,  of  the  Divine 
truth  of  the  church,  which  is  Saul  represented  ;  for  as  was  said 
above,  all  the  kings  who  were  over  the  sons  of  Israel  represented 
the  Lord  in  relation  to  Divine  truth,  and  their  kingdom,  re- 
presented the  church  in  relation  to  Divine  truth.  [8.]  Because 
"cloaks"  and  "robes"  signified  Divine  truth  in  general, 

"  The  king's  daughters  that  were  virgins  were  clad  in  robes  of  divers 
colors"  (2  Sam.  xiii.  18). 

"King's  daughters  that  were  virgins  "  signified  affe(5lions  for  truth, 
and  thus  the  church,  as  can  be  seen  from  the  many  passages  in 
the  Word  in  which  "king's  daughter,"  "daughter  of  Zion," 
"daughter  of  Jerusalem,"  also  "the  virgin  Zion,"  and  "the  virgin 
Jerusalem"  are  mentioned  ;  therefore  "the  king's  daughters"  re- 
presented also  the  truths  of  such  aft"e6tion  by  their  garments,  and  in 
general  by  their  robes,  which,  were  therefore  variegated  with  divers 
colors.  So  also  truths  from  good,  or  truths  from  affe6lion,  are 
represented  by  the  garments  of  virgins  in  heaven  ;  which  truths 
are  more  fully  described  by 

"The  garments  of  the  king's  daughter,"  in  David  {Psalm  xlv.  9,  10,  13, 
14). 

[#!.]  [9.]  As  mourning  in  the  ancient  churches  signified  spir- 
itual mourning,  which  is  from  lack  of  truth,  they  represented  this 
in  their  mourning  by  rending  their  mantles  or  cloaks,  as  is  evi- 
dent in  yob: 

When  Job  had  lost  all  things,  "then  he  arose,  rent  his  mantle, and 

said.  Naked  came  I  out  of  my  mother's  womb,  and  naked  shall  \ 
return"  (i.  20,  21). 

And  in  another  place. 

Job's  three  friends,  when  they  saw  him,  "wept  and  rent  their  cloaks" 

(ii.  12). 

(That  "rending  garments"  was  a  representative  of  mourning  because  of  truth 
harmed  or  destroyed,  see  A.C..  n.  4763.)       And  again  in  Ezekiel : 


S54  AI'OCALYPSE    KXPLAIXKD. 

"All  the  princes  of  the  sea  shall  come  down  from  their  thrones,  and 
shall  cast  away  their  cloaks  and  strip  off  their  broidered  garments  ; 
they  shall  be  clothed  with  terrors  ;  they  shall  sit  upon  the  ground" 
(xxvi.  1 6). 

This  is  said  of  Tyre,  which  signifies  the  church  in  respedi  to  know- 
ledges of  truth  and  good  ;  here  the  church  where  these  are  de- 
stroyed. That  there  are  no  longer  any  truths  through  wliich 
there  can  be  a  church,  is  signified  by  "all  the  princes  of  the  sea 
shall  come  down  from  their  thrones,"  "princes  of  the  sea  "  mean- 
ing true  primary  knowledges  (scienHjica),  "to  come  down  from 
thrones"  signifying  that  these  have  been  destroyed,  and  conse- 
quently that  there  is  no  intelligence.  The  same  is  signified  by 
"  they  shall  cast  away  their  cloaks  and  strip  off  their  broidered 
garments,"  "cloaks"  meaning  truths  in  general,  and  "broidered 
garments"  knowledges  of  truth  ;  consequent  damnation  is  signi- 
fied by  "  they  shall  be  clothed  with  terrors  ;  they  shall  sit  upon 
the  ground."     [lO.]    XwMicah: 

"  My  people  have  set  up  an  enemy  for  themselves  for  the  sake  of  a  gar- 
ment ;  ye  draw  off  the  mantle  from  them  that  pass  by  securely, 
returning  from  war  "  (ii.  8). 

These  words  do  not  mean  that  the  sons  of  Israel  have  set  up  an 
enemy  for  the  sake  of  a  garment,  and  have  drawn  off  a  mantle 
from  those  that  pass  by  securely  ;  but  they  mean  that  they  held 
as  enemies  those  who  spoke  truths,  and  took  away  all  truth  from 
those  who  had  lived  well  and  had  shaken  off  falsities,  "garment  " 
meaning  truth,  "mantle"  all  truth  because  it  means  truth  in  gen- 
eral ;  "to  pass  by  securely  "  means  to  live  well ;  "men  returning 
froin  war"  mean  those  who  have  shaken  off  falsities,  "war"  mean- 
ing the  combat  of  truth  against  falsity.  Who  cannot  see  that  this 
is  the  spiritual  meaning  of  the  Word  ;  and  not  that  the  people  of 
Israel  held  some  one  as  an  enemy  for  the  sake  of  a  garment,  or 
drew  off  a  mantle  from  those  who  passsed  by?    [II.]  In  Matthew  : 

The  scribes  and  Pharisees  "  do  all  their  works  that  they  may  be  seen  of 
men,  and  make  broad  their  phyladleries,  and  enlarge  the  borders 
of  their  robes  "  (xxiii.  5). 

This  the  scribes  and  Pharisees  did,  but  it  also  represented  and 
signified  that  they  talked  about,  and  applied  to  life  and  to  their  tra- 
ditions many  things  from  the  outmosts  of  the  Word,  in  order  that 
they  might  appear  holy  and  learned.  "  Their  phyla6leries,"  which 
they  make  broad,  signify  goods  in  outward  form,  for  "phylade- 
ries"  were  worn  upon  the  hands,  and  "hands"  signify  deeds, 
because  these   are  done   by  the  hands;    "the  borders  of  their 


CHAP.   VI.,  VERSE    II. — N.   397.  855 

robes,"  u  hicli  ihey  enlarge,  .signify  external  truth.s  ;  external  truths 
are  tho.se  that  are  in  the  outniost  sen.se  of  the  letter;  "robes" 
mean   truths    in  general,  and  "borders"  their  outmosts.     (That 

"borders  of  robes  "  sin;nify  siieh  tnitlis,  sie  .-/.^',,  n.  QQ17,) 

[e.]    [12.]   In  haiah : 

"  I  will  rejoice  in  Jehovah,  my  soul  shall  exult  in  my  God  ;  for  He  hath 
clothed  me  with  the  garments  of  salvation  ;  He  hath  covered  me 
with  a  robe  of  righteousness  "  (Ixi.  10). 

"To  rejoice  in  Jehovah"  signifies  to  rejoice  in  Divine  good  ;  "to 
exult  in  God"  signifies  to  exult  in  Divine  truth;  for  the  Lord 
is  called  "Jehovah"  from  Divine  good,  and  "God"  from  Divine 
truth,  and  from  these  is  all  spiritual  joy.  "To  clothe  with  the  gar- 
ments of  salvation  "  signifies  to  instru6l  and  to  gift  with  truths; 
and  "to  cover  with  a  robe  of  righteousness "  signifies  to  fill  with 
every  truth  from  good,  "  robe"  meaning  all  truth,  because  it  means 
truth  in  general,  and  "righteousness"  is  predicated  of  good. 
[13.]    In  the  same, 

"He  put  on  the  garments  of  vengeance,  and  clothed  Himself  with  zeal 
as  with  a  robe  "  (lix.  17). 

This  is  said  of  the  Lord  and  of  His  combat  with  the  hells ;  for 
when  He  was  in  the  world  He  reduced  all  things  in  the  hells  and 
in  the  heavens  to  order,  and  this  by  Divine  truth  from  Divine 
love.  "Garments  of  vengeance"  signify  the  truths  by  which,  and 
"zeal  as  a  robe"  the  Divine  love  from  which,  this  was  done; 
"robe"  is  mentioned  to  signify  that  it  was  done  through  Divine 

truths  from  Divine  love.  (But  what  "the  robe  of  the  ephod"  signifies,  in 
which  Aaron  was  arrayed,  and  upon  the  borders  of  which  were  pomegranates  and 
bells,  (of  which  in  Exod.  xxviii.  31-35;  Levit,  viii.  7,)  see  A.C..  n.  9910-9928). 

396.  "And  it  was  said  unto  them  that  they  should  rest  yet 
a  little  time  "  signifies  so7ne  fjirther  continuance  in  that  state, 
as  is  evident  without  further  explanation  ;  it  means  in  that  state, 

because  time  signifies  state.  (That  time  signifies  state  of  life,  see  Heaven 
and  Hell.  n.  162-169.) 

397.  " Until  their  fellow-servants  as  well  as  their  brethren, 
who  were  to  be  killed,  as  they  also  were,  should  be  fulfilled,"  sig- 
nifies until  evils  were  consummated.— T'Wx'f.  is  evident  from  the  sig- 
nification of  "until  they  should  be  fulfilled,"  as  meaning  until  they 
were  consummated;  also  from  the  signification  of  "their  fellow- 
servants  as  well  as  their  brethren,  who  were  to  be  killed,  as  they 
also  were,"  as  meaning  evils,  for  to  kill  these  denotes  evil,  "fellow- 
servants"  meaning  those  who  are  in  truths,  and  "brethren"  those 
who  are  in  goods,  and  "fellow-servants"  and  "brethren"  together 
those  who  are  in  truths  from  good  ;  for  in  the  internal  sense  the 
two  are  conjoined  into  one.     "Consummation"  is  mentioned  in 


856  APOCALYPSE    KXPI.AINED. 

some  passages  in  the  Word,  likewise  "  when  evils  are  consum- 
mated," but  scarcely  any  one  at  this  day  knows  what  this  signi- 
fies. In  three  articles  above  (n.  391,392,394)  it  is  said  that  the 
former  heaven  consisted  of  such  as  had  led  a  moial  life  in  exter- 
nals, and  yet  were  internally  evil,  and  that  these  dwelt  in  high 
places  in  the  spiritual  world,  and  therefore  thought  themselves  to 
be  in  heaven.  These,  because  they  were  interiorly  evil,  would  not 
tolerate  among  them  those  that  were  interiorly  good,  and  this 
because  their  affedlions  and  thoughts  were  discordant,  for  all 
consociations  in  the  spiritual  world  are  effe6led  according  to 
agreement  of  affedlions  and  thus  of  thoughts  ;  for  angels  and 
spirits  are  nothing  but  affeftions  and  thoughts  therefrom  in  a  hu- 
man form  ;  and  as  those  who  were  in  the  high  j^laces  could  not 
endure  the  presence  of  those  who  were  interiorly  good,  they  cast 
them  out  from  among  them,  and  wherever  they  saw  them,  treated 
them  wrongfully  and  shamefully,  consequently  the  good  were  de- 
livered by  the  Lord  from  this  violence  and  concealed  under  heaven 
and  preserved ;  and  this  was  taking  place  from  the  time  when  the 
Lord  was  in  the  world  until  this  time  when  the  judgment  was  ac- 
complished ;  then  those  who  were  on  high  places  were  cast  down, 
and  those  who  were  under  heaven  were  raised  up.  The  e\il  were 
tolerated  so  long  on  the  high  places,  and  the  good  were  detained 
so  long  under  heaven,  in  order  that  both  "might  be  fulfilled," 
which  means  that  there  might  be  a  sufficient  number  of  the  good 
to  form  a  new  heaven,  and  also  that  the  evil  might  sink  down  of 
themselves  into  hell ;  for  the  Lord  casts  no  one  into  hell,  but  the 
evil  itself  which  is  with  evil  spirits  casts  them  down  (as  may  be  seen 
in  Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  S45-550).  This  takes  place  when  evils  are  con- 
summated, that  is,  are  fulfilled.  [2.]  This  is  what  is  meant  by 
the  Lord's  words  in  Matthezv : 

"The  servants  of  the  householder  coming,  said,.  .  .  .Didst  not  thou  sow 
good  seed  in  thy  field  ?  whence  then  are  the  tares?  ....  And  they 
said,  Wilt  thou  therefore  that  we  go  and  gather  them  up  ?  But  he 
said,  Nay,  lest  in  gathering  the  tares  ye  root  up  at  the  same  time 
the  wheat  with  them.  Let  both  grow  together  until  the  harvest ; 
and  in  the  time  of  harvest  I  will  say  to  the  reapers.  Gather  ye  to- 
gether first  the  tares,  and  bind  them  into  bundles  to  burn  them  ; 

but  gather  the  wheat  into  the  barn So  shall  it  be  in  the  con-  ■ 

summation  of  the  age"  (.xiii.  27-30,  37-42). 

"The  consummation  of  the  age"  is  the  last  time  when  judgment 
takes  place  ;  "the  time  of  harvest"  is  when  all  things  are  consum- 
mated, that  is,  are  fulfilled;  "the  tares"  mean  evils  or  those  in 
whom  evils  are,  and  "the  wheat  "  means  goods  or  those  in  whom 

goods  are.     (But  of  these  see  further  in  the  Last  Judgment,  n.  65-72.)      From 


CHAP.  VI.,   VERSE    II. — N.   397.  857 

all  this  it  can  in  some  measure  be  known  why  it  was  said  to  them 
"that  they  should  rest  yet  a  little  time,  until  their  fellow-servants, 
as  well  as  their  brethren,  who  were  to  be  killed,  as  they  also 
were,  should  be  fulfilled."  "To  be  killed  "  has  here  the  same  sig- 
nification as  "to  be  slain"  above  (n.  ^g2[a]),  namely,  to  be  reje6led 
by  the  evil  because  of  Divine  truth,  and  because  of  their  confes- 
sion of  the  Lord.  [3.]  When  this  is  known  it  can  be  known  what 
is  signified  by  "consummation"  and  by  "iniquity  consummated" 
in  the  following  passages.     In  Moses  : 

Jehovah  said,  "I  will  go  down  and  see  whether  they  have  made  a  con- 
summation, according  to  the  cry  that  is  come  unto  Me  "  {Gen.  xviii. 
20,  21). 

This  is  said  of  Sodom.     In  the  same, 

"  For  the  iniquity  of  the  Amorites  is  not  yet  consummated  "  (fulfilled) 
(Gen.  XV.  i6). 

In  Isaiah : 

"  A  consummation  and  decision  I  have  heard  from  the  Lord  Jehovih  of 
hosts  upon  the  whole  earth  "  (xxviii.  22). 

In  the  same, 

"A  consummation  is  determined,  righteousness  has  overflowed.  For 
the  Lord  Jehovih  of  hosts  is  making  a  consummation  and  a  deci- 
sion in  the  whole  earth  "  (x.  22,  23). 

In  Zephaniah : 

"  In  the  fire  of  the  zeal  "  of  Jehovah  of  hosts  "  the  whole  land  shall  be 
devoured  ;  for  He  shall  make  a  consummation,  even  a  speedy  one, 
with  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  land  "  (i.  18). 

In  Daniel: 

"  At  last  upon  the  bird  of  abominations  shall  be  desolation,  and  even  to 
the  consummation  and  decision  it  shall  drop  upon  the  devastation  " 

(ix.  27) ; 

and  elsewhere.  "Consummation"  and  "decision"  in  these  pas- 
sages signify  the  last  state  of  the  church,  a  state  in  which  there 
is  no  longer  any  truth  because  there  is  no  good,  or  in  which  there 
is  no  longer  any  faith  because  there  is  no  charity  ;  and  when  this 
is  the  state  of  the  church,  then  comes  the  last  judgment.  The 
last  judgment  then  comes,  for  the  further  reason  that  the  human 
race  is  the  basis  or  foundation  of  the  angelic  heaven,  for  the  con- 
junftion  of  the  angelic  heaven  with  the  human  race  is  unceasing, 
the  one  having  subsistence  by  means  of  the  other ;  when  there- 
fore the  basis  does  not  correspond  the  angelic  heaven  totters ; 
consequently  there  must  then  be  a  judgment  upon  those  who 
are  in  the  spiritual  world,  that  all  things  in  the  heavens  as 
well  as  in  the  hells,  may  be  reduced  to  order.  (That  the  hu- 
man race  is  the  basis  and  foundation  of  the  angelic  heaven,  and  that  the  conjun(5lion 


858  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

is  unceasing,  see  /l,\iii/i  ami  Hell.  n.  291-310.)  From  tlli.i  it  can  be  kllOWll 
that  "coiLsumniation  "  incuiis  the  last  state  ol  the  church,  when 
there  is  no  longer  any  faith  because  there  is  no  cliarit)'.  This 
state  of  the  church  is  also  called  in  the  Word  "  \astation  "  and 
"desolation,"  and  by  the  Lord  "the  consummation  of  the  age" 

{Matt.  xiii.  39,  40,  49  ;  xxiv.  3  ;  xxviii.  20). 


VERSES   12-14, 

^qS»  "  ^"d  '  saiv  when  he  had  opened  the  sixth  seal,  and  behold  there  was  a  great 
earthquahe :  and  the  sun  became  black  as  sachcloth  of  hair,  and  the  moon  became  as  blood. 
And  the  stars  of  heaven  fell  unto  the  earth,  as  a  fig-tree  casteth  her  unripe  figs  when  shaken 
by  a  great  wind.  And  the  heaven  withdrew  as  a  scroll  rolled  up;  and  every  mountain  and 
island  were  moved  out  of  their  places.  " 

12.  "And  I  saw  when  he  had  opened  the  sixth  seal "  .signities  still  further  pre- 

diction respei^itii^  the'  state  of  the  church  [n.  399]  ;  "and  behold  there 
was  a  great  earthquake  "  signifies  tlie  state  of'  the  chinch  entirely 
chaj/ifcc/  [n.  400] ;  "-and  the  sun  became  black  as  sackcloth  of  hair, 
and  the  moon  became  as  blood,"  signifies  that  nil  good  of  love  was 
separated,  and  thus  all  truth  of  faith  falsified  [n.  401]. 

13.  "And  the  stars  of  heaven  fell  unto  the  tarth"  signifies  that  l.-no7c<ledges 

of  good  and  truth  perished  [n.  402]  ;  "as  a  fig-tree  casteth  her  unripe 
figs  when  shaken  by  a  great  wind  "  signifies  ivhiclt  knoicledges  the  nat- 
ural man  has  s^cept  a-way  by  reasonings  [n.  403]. 

14.  "And  the  heaven  withdrew  as  a  book  rolled  up"  signifies  that  the  spiritual 

man  became  closed  up  [n.  404]  ;  "and  every  mountain  and  island  were 
moved  out  of  their  places  "  signifies  that  every  good  of  lo7-e  and  every 
truth  of  faith  perished  [n.  405,  406]. 

399.  {Verse  12]  "And  I  saw  when  He  had  opened  the  sixth 
seal"  signifies  still  fiirthcr prediclioti  respe fling  the  state  of  the 
church,  as  is  evident  from  the  signification  of ''opening  the  seals" 
of  the  book  which  was  in  the  Lord's  hand,  as  meaning  to  reveal 
things  hidden,  and  to  predict  things  future  (of  wfiich  above,  n.  352, 
361,  369,  378,  390). 

400[#l].  "And  behold,  there  was  a  great  earthquake,"  sig- 
nifies the  state  of  the  church  entirely  changed. — This  is  evident 
from  the  signification  of  "earthquake, "as  meaning  a  change  of 
state  of  the  church,  "earth"  meaning  the  church,  and  its  "quak- 
ing" a  change  of  state.  (That  "  the  earth"  means  the  church,  see  above,  n. 
304;  and  that  its  "  quaking  "  means  a  change  of  state,  see  ^.C,  n.  1273-1275,1377, 

3356.)  That  this  prediction,  which  is  signified  by  "  the  sixth  seal 
was  opened,"  involves  a  total  change  in  the  state  of  the  church, 
is  evident  from  what  has  been  said  before,  and  from  w  hat  follows 
in  this  chapter.  In  vvhat  precedes  it  was  predi6ted  that  the  un- 
derstanding of  the  Word  in  relation  to  good,  and  afterwards  in 
relation  to  truth,  would  perish,  and  that  at  length  there  would  be 
no  understanding  of  the  W^ord  in  consequence  of  evils  of  life  and 


CHAP.   VI.,   VERSE   12. — N.   40o[rt].  859 

falsities  of  doclrine  from  them.  The  destruclion  of  the  under- 
standing of  the  Word  in  relation  to  good  was  signified  by  "the 
red  horse"  that  was  seen  to  go  forth  from  the  opened  seal  of  the 
book  (of  whicii  above,  n.  364)  ;  the  destruction  of  the  understanding 
of  the  Word  in  relation  to  truth  was  signified  by  "the  black 
horse"  that  was  seen  (of  which  above,  n.  372) ;  and  that  in  conse- 
quence of  e\ils  of  life  and  falsities  of  do6trine  there  was  no  un- 
derstanding of  the  Word  was  signified  by  "  tlie  pale  horse"  (of 
which  above,  n.  381) ;  from  this  it  foUows  that  the  state  of  the  church 
was  altogetlier  changed.  This  is  evident  from  what  precedes  ; 
also  from  what  follows,  since  it  is  said  that  "the  sun  became  black 
as  sackcloth  of  hair,  and  the  moon  became  as  blood,  and  the 
stars  of  heaven  fell  unto  the  earth,"  with  many  other  things,  which 
signify  that  there  was  no  longer  any  good  of  love  nor  any  truth  of 
faith,  nor  any  knowledges  of  good  and  truth  ;  which  makes  clear 
that  "a  great  earthquake"  here  signifies  a  total  change  in  the 
state  of  the  church.  [2.]  It  is  evident,  moreover,  from  many  pas- 
sages in  the  W^ord,  that  "an  earthquake"  signifies  a  change  in  the 
state  of  the  church  ;  and  some  of  these  shall  be  cited  in  what  follows. 
This  signification  of  "earthquake""  is  from  appearances  in  the 
spiritual  world.  In  that  world,  as  well  as  in  the  natural  world, 
there  are  lands,  valleys,  hills,  mountains,  and  on  them  societies 
of  spirits  and  angels  dwell.  Before  the  new  heaven  was  formed 
upon  these  places,  they  were  seen  to  undergo  remarkable  changes  ; 
some  appeared  to  sink  down,  some  to  be  agitated  and  shaken,, 
and  some  appeared  to  be  rolled  up,  as  the  scroll  of  a  book  is 
rolled  up,  and  to  be  borne  away  ;  and  some  appeared  to  shake  and 
tremble  as  by  a  great  earthquake.  Such  things  were  often  seen 
by  me  before  the  new  heaven  \vas  formed,  and  were  alw  ays  signs 
of  a  change  there  in  the  state  of  the  church.  When  there  was  a 
quaking  and  trembling  as  from  an  earthquake  it  was  a  sign  that 
the  state  of  the  church  was  changed  in  that  place,  and  the  amount 
of  change  was  made  evident  from  the  extent  and  chara6ler  of  the 
earth's  motion  ;  and  when  the  state  of  the  church  with  them  was 
completely  changed  from  good  into  evil  and  from  truth  into 
falsity,  the  earth  there  appeared  to  be  rolled  up  like  the  scroll 
of  a  book  and  to  be  taken  away  :  this  is  what  is  meant  by  the 
words  in  verse  14  of  this  chapter,  namelv,  "And  the  heaven  with- 
drew as  a  book  rolled  up."  Like  things  appeared  to  John,  for 
when  he  saw  these  things  he  was  in  the  spirit,  as  he  himself  de- 
clares (i.  10 ;  iv.  2)  ;  and  he  who  sees  in  the  spirit  sees  the  things 
that  come  forth  and  appear  in  the  spiritual  world.  All  this 
makes   clear  that  "an  earthquake"  signifies  a  change  of  state 


86o  APocAi.vrsi-:  kxi'lainkd. 

of  the  church,  that  is,  from  j^ood  into  c\'il,  and  from  truth  into 
falsity. 

[/>.]  [3.]  That  "  earthquakes  "  and  "  tremijlings  of  tlie  earth  " 
ha\e  no  other  meaning;  in  the  Word  can  be  seen  from  the  follow- 
ing-passages.    In  yoe/ : 

"  The  earth  was  shaken  before  Him,  the  heavens  trembled,  the  sun  and 
the  moon  were  blackened,  and  the  stars  withdrew  their  shining" 
(ii.  lo). 

"Earth  and  heavens"  here,  as  often  elsewlu-re,  signify  the 
church;  "earth"  the  external  church,  and  "hea\ens"  the  in- 
ternal church.  The  external  church  means  worship  from  good 
and  truth  in  the  natural  man  ;  and  the  internal  church,  thf  gcxjd 
of  love  and  faith,  which  is  in  the  spiritual  man,  from  which  is 
worship  ;  for  as  there  is  an  internal  and  an  external  man,  or  a  si)ir- 
itual  and  a  natural  man,  so  is  it  with  the  church,  since  the  church 
is  in  man,  and  is  made  up  of  men  in  whom  the  church  is.  A 
change  and  perversion  of  the  church  is  signified  by  "  the  earth 
was  shaken,  and  the  heavens  trembled  ;"  "the  sun  and  the  moon 
were  blackened"  signifies  that  there  is  no  good  of  love  or  truth 
of  faith;  and  "the  stars  withdrew  their  shining"  signifies  that 
there  were  no  longer  any  knowledges  of  truth  and  good.  [4.]  In 
Isaiah  : 

"  I  will  make  a  man  {vimm  hominem)  more  rare  than  pure  gold  ; .  .  .  . 
therefore  I  will  shake  heaven,  and  the  earth  shall  be  shaken  out  of 
its  place,  in  the  indignation  of  Jehovah  of  hosts,  and  in  the  day  of 
the  wrath  of  His  anger"  (xiii.  12,  13). 

"Man  (virum.  hominem)''''  means  intelligence,  and  "to  make  him 
more  rare  than  pure  gold"  means  that  there  is  scarcely  any 
intelligence  left,  intelligence  meaning  intelligence  from  truths, 
for  all  intelligence  is  from  truths.  "Therefore  1  will  shake 
heaven,  and  the  earth  shall  be  shaken  out  of  its  place,"  signifies 
that  good  of  love  and  truth  of  faith  and  worship  therefrom  in 
externals  are  dispersed,  "heaven  and  earth"  signifying  here, 
as  above,  the  internal  and  external  of  the  church  ;  the  internal 
of  the  church  is  good  of  love  and  good  of  faith,  and  its  external 
is  worship  therefrom  ;  for  what  the  internal  of  the  man  of  the 
church  is  such  is  his  external,  since  the  external  goes  forth  solely 
from  the  internal.  Apart  from  the  internal,  external  worship  is 
soulless,  the  voice  is  without  spirit,  and  the  thought  from  which 
is  the  voice,  and  the  will  fi'om  which  is  gesture,  are  without  life, 
for  there  is  nothing  spiritual  therein  from  which  life  can  come. 
What  is  signified  by  "the  indignation  of  Jehovah,  and  the 
wrath  of  His  anger,"  will  be  told  in  the  explanation  of  verse  17, 
below.     [5.]    In  the  same, 


CHAl'.    VI.,   VERSE    12. — N.   40o[/^].  .S6l 

"The  flood-gates  from  on  high  were  opened,  and  the  foundations  of  the 
earth  were  shattered,  in  breaking  the  earth  was  broken,.  .  .  .in  shak- 
ing the  earth  was  shaken,  in  tottering  the  earth  totters  as  a  drunk- 
ard, ....  it  sways  like  a  hut ;  and  its  transgression  is  heavy  upon  it ; 
and  it  shall  fall  and  shall  not  rise  again"  (xxiv.  18-20). 

This  is  most  evidently  said  of  the  church,  not  of  the  earth  ;  for 
who  can  think  that  the  foundations  of  the  earth  have  been  shat- 
tered, that  the  earth  has  been  shaken,  that  it  totters  hke  a  drunk- 
ard, that  it,  sways  like  a  hut?  But  any  one  can  understand  these 
words  when,  instead  of  the  earth,  the  church  is  thought  of. 
These  words  evidently  signify  a  change  and  perversion  of  the 
church,  for  it  is  said  "its  transgression  is  heavy  upon  it,  and  it 
shall  fall  and  shall  not  rise  again  ;"  "the  flood-gates"  that  were 
opened  from  on  high,  also  mean  an  inundation  of  evil  and  of 
falsity.     [6.]    In  David  : 

"  The  earth  was  shattered  and  shaken  :  the  foundations  of  the  mountains 
trembled, ....  because  He  was  wroth  "  {Psalm  xviii.  7). 

This  does  not  mean  that  it  was  the  earth  and  its  foundations  that 
were  shattered  and  shaken,  but  the  church  and  the  truths  upon 
which  it  is  founded;  for  "earth"  signifies  the  church,  and 
"foundations  of  the  mountains"  signify  the  truths  on  which  the 
church  is  founded,  which  are  truths  from  good  ;  "because  He  was 
wroth  "  has  the  same  signification  as  "  the  wrath  of  Jehovah,"  in  the 
Word.  Its  being  said  that  "the  earth  was  shattered  and  shaken, 
and  the  foundations  of  the  mountains  trembled,"  is  from  appear- 
ances in  the  spiritual  world,  where  such  things  occur  when  the 
state  of  the  church  is  changed  with  those  who  dwell  there.  More- 
over, those  who  are  in  truths  there  dwell  at  the  foot  of  mount- 
ains, for  all  dwelling-places  of  angels  are  so  arranged  that  those 
who  are  in  good  of  love  to  the  Lord  dwell  upon  mountains,  and 
those  who  are  in  truths  from  that  good  dwell  lower  down.  When 
the  state  of  these  in  respeft  to  truths  is  changed,  their  habitations, 
and  thus  the  foundations  of  the  mountains,  tremble.  That  there 
are  such  things  in  the  spiritual  world,  and  that  they  have  exist- 
ence from  changes  of  the  state  of  the  church  there,  no  one  ex- 
cept he  to  whom  it  is  revealed  can  know.     [7.]    In  Nahum  : 

"  The  mountains  quake  before"  Jehovah,  "  and  the  hills  melt,  and  the  earth 
is  burned  before  Him,  and  the  world  and  all  that  dwell  therein. 
....  His  wrath  is  poured  out  like  fire,  and  the  rocks  are  overturned 
before  Him  "  (i.  5,  6). 

"Mountains"  signify  the  church  in  which  there  is  love  to  the 
Lord,  and  "hills"  the  church  in  which  there  is  lo\'e  towards  the 
neighbor;   so,  too,  "motmtains"  signify  love  to  the  Lord,  and 


862  APOCALYPSK    EXPLAIN  LID. 

"hills"  love  towards  the  neighbor,  and  for  the  reason  that  angels 
who  are  in  love  to  the  Lord  dwell  upcjii  mountains,  and  those  who 
are  in  love  towards  the  neighbor  dwell  upon  hills.  When  in 
place  of  love  to  the  Lord  love  of  self  reigns,  and  in  place  of 
love  towards  the  neighbor  lo\e  of  the  world  reigns,  then  the 
mountains  are  said  "to  quake,"  and  the  hills  "to  melt;"  for 
this  occurs  in  the  spiritual  world,  ikjI  with  angels,  who  are  in 
heaven,  but  with  those  s])irits  that  made  for  themselves  a  sem- 
blance of  heaven  upon  mountains  and  hills  before  the  last  judg- 
ment. Because  love  of  self  and  the  world  is  meant,  it  is  said 
that  "they  melt,"  and  that  "the  earth  is  burned  before  Him,  the 
world  and  all  that  dwell  therein,"  also  that  "  His  wrath  is  poured 
out  like  fire,"  for  "fire"  signifies  such  loves,  and  "to  melt"  and 
"to  be  burned"  signify  to  jx-rish  by  them.  "The  rocks,"  that 
are  o\erturned,  signify  truths  of  faith,  because  those  who  are  in 
faith,  and  do  good  from  obedience,  although  not  from  charity, 
dwell  in  the  spiritual  world  upon  rocks.      [8.]    In  yob : 

Jehovah  "  who  maketh  the  earth  to  quake  <jut  of  its  place,  so  that  the 
pillars  thereof  tremble  "  (ix.  6). 

And  in  yeremijxh : 

"Jehovah  is  God  in  truth,  He  is  the  living  God,  and  King  of  an  age;  by 
His  anger  the  earth  trembleth,  and  the  nations  are  not  able  to  abide 
His  indignation"  (x.  lo). 

Here,  too,  "the  earth"  signifies  a  church,  but  a  church  in  which 
are  falsities,  which  is  said  "to  tremble"  when  falsities  are  be- 
lieved and  are  called  truths.  "Nations"  signify  evils  of  falsity  ; 
the  casting  down  into  hell  and  destruction  of  these  evils  is  sig- 
nified by  "the  nations  are  not  able  to  abide  His  indigPiation.'^ 
Because  "the  earth"  here  signifies  a  church  in  which  are  falsi- 
ties, it  is  said  "God  in  truth.  He  is  the  living  God,  and  King  of 
an  age  ;"  for  Jehovah  is  called  "God"  and  "  King"  from  Divine 
truth,  "living  God"  from  Divine  truth  in  the  heavens,  and  "  King 
of  an  age,"  from  Divine  truth  on  the  earth  ;  and  as  good  is 
treated  of  in  the  Word  wherever  truth  is  treated  of,  because 
of  the  hea\enly  marriage  in  every  particular  of  the  Word,  and 
so  on  the  other  hand,  where  folsity  is  treated  of,  evil  is  also 
treated  of,  mention  is  made  also  of  "the  nations,"  by  which  evils 
of  falsity  are  signified.  What  the  evils  of  falsity  that  flow  from 
falsities  of  do6frine  are,  may  be  illustrated  as  follows  :  Where  the 
do61rine  prevails  that  faith  alone  and  not  good  of  life  saves,  also 
that  to  one  who  has  faith  nothing  of  evil  is  imputed,  and  that  a 
man  may  be  saved  by  faith  alone,  even  at  the  end  of  his  life,  pro- 
vided he  then  believes  that  the  Lord  has  delivered  all  from  the 


CHAP.   VI.,   VERSE    12.  —  N.  40o[r].  86^ 

yoke  of  the  law  by  His  fulfilment  of  it,  and  has  made  atonement 
by  His  blood,  in  that  case  the  evils  that  a  man  does  in  conse- 
quence of  such  a  foith  are  evils  of  falsity. 
[f.]    [9.1   In  Ezekiel : 

**  In  the  day  in  which  Gog  shall  come  upon  the  land  of  Israel,  ....  in 
My  anger  wrath  shall  rise  up,  and  in  My  zeal  and  in  the  fire  of  My 
indignation  I  will  speak  :  Surely  there  shall  be  in  this  day  a  great 
earthquake  upon  the  land  of  Israel,  that  the  fishes  of  the  sea,  and 
the  bird  of  the  heavens,  and  the  wild  beast  of  the  field,  and  every 
creeping  thing  that  creepeth  upon  the  earth,  and  every  man  who 
is  upon  the  faces  of  the  earth,  may  tremble  before  Me  ;  and  the 
mountains  shall  be  overthrown,  and  the  steps  shall  fall,  and  every 
wall  shall  fall  in  ruins  to  the  ground  "  (.xxxviii.  18-20), 

"Gog"  signifies  external  worship  without  internal ;  "land  of  Is- 
rael" signifies  the  church  ;  this  makes  clear  what  is  signified  by 
"  in  that  day  Gog  shall  come  upon  the  the  land  of  Israel."  That 
"then  there  shall  be  a  great  earthquake"  signifies  a  change  of 
the  church,  even  its  overthrow  ;  for  external  worship  derives  its 
whole  charadler  from  internal  worship,  so  that  the  external  is  just 
what  the  internal  is,  consequently  where  there  is  no  internal 
worship  the  external  worship  is  not  worship  but  mere  posture 
and  speech  ;  the  thought  that  is  present  at  the  time  is  solely  from 
the  natural  memory,  and  the  affe6lion  is  from  the  body,  such  as 
arises  from  habit  before  men.  "The  fishes  of  the  sea,  the  bird 
of  the  heavens,  the  wild  beast  of  the  field,  and  every  creeping 
thing  that  creepeth  upon  the  earth,  shall  tremble,"  signifies  all 
things  of  man;  for  "fishes  of  the  sea"  signify  natural  things  in 
general,  and  in  particular,  knowledges  (sdentifica)  there,  "birds  of 
the  heavens"  signify  in  general  intelle6lual  things,  in  particular, 
thoughts  from  truths,  but  here  from  falsities,  "the  wild  beast  of 
the  field"  signifies  atfe6lion  and  lust  for  falsity  and  evil,  and  "the 
creeping  thing  that  creepeth  upon  the  earth  "  signifies  the  sens- 
ual, which  is  the  outmost  of  the  natural,  with  its  delights  and 
knowledges  (scien/ijica)  ;  and  as  these  signify  all  things  of  man  it 
is  said,  "  and  every  man  who  is  upon  the  faces  of  the  earth," 
"every  man"  in  the  spiritual  sense  meaning  everything  of  man  in 
respe6l  to  intelligence  and  wisdom.  "The  mountains  shall  be 
overthrown,  and  the  steps  shall  fall,  and  every  wall  shall  fall  in 
ruins  to  the  ground,"  signifies  that  every  good  of  love  and  every 
truth  of  that  good  shall  perish,  and  thus  every  evil  and  falsity  will 
break  in  unresisted;  "mountains"  signifying  goods  of  love, 
"steps"  truths  therefrom,  and  "wall"  defence;  and  where  there 
is  no  defence  there  every  evil  and  falsity  breaks  in  unresisted. 
Who  does  not  see  that  this  does  not  mean  that  fishes  of  the  sea, 
birds  of  the  heavens,  wild  beast  of  the  field,  and  creeping  thing  of 
the  earth,  are  to  tremble  before  Jehovah?     [lO.]    In  Jeremiah: 


864  Al'OC M.YI'SK    KXIM.AIXKD. 

"  At  the  sound  of  the  fall "  of  Edom  and  of  the  inhabitants  of  Teinan, 
"the  earth  trembled,  there  is  a  cry,  and  the  sound  of  it  was  heard 
in  the  sea  of  Suph  "  (xlix.  21 ). 

Here  "Edom  and  the  inhabitants  ot  Tenian  "  are  not  meant,  but 
the  evils  and  falsities  that  are  ojjposed  to  the  goods  and  trutiis  of 
the  celestial  kingdom  ;  therefore  "  at  the  sound  of  the  fall  of  Edom 
and  of  the  inhabitants  of  Teman  the  earth  trembled,"  signifies  that 
the  church  was  changed  and  perished  by  those  evils  and  falsities  ; 
"a  cry,  and  the  sound  of  it  was  heard  in  the  sea  of  Suph,"  signi- 
fies their  damnation,  "sea  of  Suph"  meaning  damnation,  "cry" 
is  predicated  of  the  damnation  of  evil,  and  "sound  '  of  the  damn- 
ation   of   falsit\'.       (Tliat  "the  sea  of  Suph  "  signifies  daiiiiiation  and  hell,  see 

A.C..  n.  8099.)     [II.]    In  Da\'id  : 

"  O  God,  Thou  hast  abandoned  us,  Thou  hast  made  a  breach  in  us,  Thou 
hast  been  angry  ;  restore  rest  to  us.  Thou  hast  made  the  earth  to 
tremble ;  Thou  hast  rent  it  ;  heal  the  breaches  thereof,  for  it  is 
shaken"  {Psalm  Ix.  i,  2). 

"Breach"  signifies  a  falling  away  of  the  cluu  ch  and  consequent 
perversion  of  truth  and  breaking  in  of  falsity  ;  this  therefore  is 
signified  by  "  Thou  hast  made  the  earth  to  tremble,  Thou  hast  rent 
it,"  also  by  "the  earth  is  shaken,"  "  earth  "  meaning  the  church. 
[12.]    In  Haggai : 

"Yet  once,  it  is  for  a  little  while,  when  I  shake  the  heavens  and  the 
earth  and  the  sea  and  the  dry  land  ;  and  then  I  will  shake  all  na- 
tions, that  the  choice  of  all  nations  may  come  :  and  I  will  fill  this 
house  with  glory  "  (ii.  6,  7). 

This  is  said  of  the  rebuilding  of  the  temple  in  Jerusalem,  and  the 
^'  new  temple  "  there  signifies  a  new  church  that  is  to  be  established 
by  the  Lord.  This  is  meant  by  "Yet  once,  it  is  for  a  little  while," 
and  by  "then  I  will  shake  all  nations,  that  the  choice  of  all  na- 
tions may  come;  and  I  will  fill  this  house  with  glory,"  "nations" 
and  "the  choice  of  nations"  signifying  all  who  are  in  good  (see 
above,  n.  i75[a],  33 1),  "  house "  signifying  the  church,  and  "glory" 
Divine  truth.  This  new  church  is  further  described  by  "the 
temple  "  in  that  chapter  thus, 

"  The  glory  of  this  latter  house  shall  be  greater  than  that  of  the  former, 
....  for  in  this  place  I  will  give  peace  "  (verse  9). 

The  judgment  in  the  spiritual  world  that  will  precede  is  de- 
scribed by  "  I  shake  the  heavens  and  the  earth  and  the  sea  and 
the  dry  land,"  "heavens  and  earth"  meaning  all  interior  things 
of  the  church,  and  "sea  and  dry  land"  all  exterior  things  of  it. 
[13.]    In  the  Gos]:)els  : 

"Nation  shall  be  stirred  up  against  nation,  kingdom  against  kingdom  ; 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE    12. — N.  40o[^.  865 

for  there  shall  be  pestilences,  famines,  and  earthquakes,  in  divers 
places"  {Matt.  xxiv.  7;  Mark  xiii.  8  ;  Luke  xxi.  11). 

"Nation  shall  be  stirred  up  against  nation,  and  kingdom  against 
kingdom,"  signifies  that  evil  is  to  fight  with  evil,  and  falsity  with 
falsity,  "nation"  signifying  the  good  of  the  church,  and  in  a  con- 
trary sense  its  evil,  and  "kingdom"  signifying  the  truth  of  the 
church,  and  in  a  contrary  sense  its  falsity  ;  "there  shall  be  pesti- 
lences, famines,  and  earthquakes  in  divers  places,"  signifies  that 
there  will  no  longer  be  any  goods  and  truths,  and  knowledges  of 
good  and  truth,  and  thus  that  the  state  of  the  church  is  changed, 
which  is  meant  by  "an  earthquake."  In  these  chapters  of  the 
Gospels  the  successive  states  of  the  church  even  to  its  consum- 
mation are  foretold,  but  these  are  described  by  pure  correspond- 
ences. (These  are  explained  in  A.C.,  n.  3353-3356,  3486-3489,  3650-3655. 
3751-3757.  3897-3901.4056-4060,  4229-4231,  4332-4335.  4422-4434.) 

[<i.]  [14.]  It  is  recorded  also  in  the  Word  that  there  was  an 
earthquake  when  the  Lord  suffered  upon  the  cross,  and  also  when 
the  angel  descended  and  rolled  away  the  stone  from  the  mouth  of 
the  sepulchre  ;  and  each  of  these  earthquakes  signified  a  change 
in  the  state  of  the  church.  Of  the  earthquake  that  occurred  when 
the  Lord  suffered  it  is  thus  written, 

"The  veil  in  the  temple  was  rent  in  twain  from  the  top  to  the  bottom  ; 
and  the  earth  did  shake,  and  the  rocks  were  rent The  cen- 
turion and  they  that  were  with  him  guarding  Jesus,  seeing  the 
earthquake  and  the  things  that  were  done,  feared  exceedingly, 
saying,  Truly  this  was  the  Son  of  God"  {Matt,  xxvii.  51,  54). 

And  of  the  earthquake  that  occurred  vviien  the  angel  descended  and 
rolled  away  the  stone  from  the  mouth  of  the  sepulchi"e  it  is  said. 

When  "  Mary  Magdalene  came  and  the  other  Mary  to  see  the  sepulchre, 
and  behold,  there  was  a  great  earthquake  ;  for  the  angel  of  the 
Lord  descended  from  heaven,  and  coming,  rolled  away  the  stone 
from  the  mouth,  and  sat  upon  it"  {Matt,  xxviii.  i,  2). 

These  earthquakes  occurred  to  indicate  that  the  state  of  the 
church  was  then  changed  ;  for  the  Lord  by  His  last  temptation, 
which  He  endured  in  Gethsemane  and  upon  the  cross,  conquered 
the  hells,  and  put  in  order  all  things  there  and  in  the  heavens, 
and  also  glorified  His  Human,  that  is,  made  it  Divine ;  for  this 
reason  "there  was  an  earthqtiake,  and  the  rocks  were  rent." 
"  The  veil  of  the  temple  was  rent  in  twain  from  the  top  to  the 
bottom"  signified  that  His  Human  was  made  Divine;  for  witliin 
the  veil  was  the  ark  in  which  was  the  testimony,  and  "  the  testi- 
mony" signified  the  Lord  in  respe<5i:  to  His  Divine  Human  see 
above,  n.  392[^-.f]).     "The  veil"  signified  the  external  of  the  church 


866  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

as  it  was  with  the  Jews  and  Israelites,  and  that  covered  their 
eyes  that  they  miyht  not  see  the  Lord  and  Divine  truth,  or  the 
Word  in  its  own  Hght.  The  "  great  earthquake  "  that  occurred 
Mhen  the  angel  descended  from  heaven  and  rolled  away  the 
stone  from  the  mouth  of  the  sepulchre,  has  a  like  signification, 
namely,  that  the  state  of  the  church  was  completely  changed  ; 
for  the  Lord  then  rose  again,  and  in  respe6l  to  His  Human  as- 
sumed all  dominion  over  heaven  and  earth,  as  He  Himself  says 
in  Matthew  (xxviii.  i8).  "The  angel  rolled  away  the  stone  from 
the  mouth  and  sat  upon  it "  signifies  that  the  Lord  removed  all 
the  falsity  that  had  shut  off  access  to  Him,  and  that  He  opened 
Divine  truth,  "stone"  signifying  Divine  truth  which  the  Jews 
had  falsified  by  their  tradition  ;  for  it  is  said  that 

The  chief-priests  and  Pharisees  "  sealed  the  stone  with  a  guard  ;"  but 
that  an  angel  from  heaven  removed  it  and  sat  upon  it  {Matt,  xxvii. 
66  ;  xxviii.  2). 

The  things  that  have  beeen  said  respeding  these  earthquakes, 
and  the  veil  of  the  temple,  and  the  stone  before  the  mouth  of  the 
sepulchre,  are  but  a  few,  but  the  things  signified  by  them  are 
many,  for  each  and  every  thing  that  is  written  in  the  Gospels  re- 
spe6ling  the  Lord's  passion  involves  arcana  and  is  significative. 
The  earthquakes  mentioned  elsewhere  in  the  Apocalypse  also 
signify  changes  of  the  state  of  the  church 

(as  chap,  xi.  13;  xvi.  17-19), 

40l[€«]*  "And  the  sun  became  black  as  sackcloth  of  hair, 
and  the  moon  became  as  blood,"  signifies  that  all  good  of  love 
was  separated,  and  thus  all  truth  of  faith  falsified. — This  is  e\'i- 
dent  from  the  signification  of  "sun,"  as  meaning  in  the  highest 
sense  the  Lord  in  respedl  to  Divine  love,  and  so  with  man  good 
of  love  to  the  Lord  from  the  Lord  (of  which  presently) ;  also  from 
the  signification  of  "black  as  sackcloth  of  hair,"  as  meaning  sep- 
arated ;  "black "  is  predicated  of  thick  darkness,  thus  of  what  does 
not  appear  from  any  light.  It  is  said  "as  sackcloth  of  hair,"  be- 
cause it  means  the  sensual  of  man,  which  is  the  lowest  of  the  nat- 
ural, and  is  thus  round  about  the  interiors,  in  which  it  induces 
thick  darkness.  Man  has  two  minds,  a  spiritual  and  a  natural ; 
the  spiritual  mind  thinks  and  perceives  from  the  light  of  heaven, 
but  the  natural  mind  thinks  and  perceives  from  the  light  of  the 
world  ;  from  the  latter,  man  has  a  light  that  is  callisd  natural  light 
{lumen).  This  natural  mind  is  what  is  called  the  natural  man,  but  the 
spiritual  mind  is  what  is  called  the  spiritual  man.  As  the  natural 
mind  is  below  or  outside  of  the  spiritual  mind  it  is  round  about  it» 


CHAP.   VI.,  VERSE    12. — N.  40l[<5].  867 

for  it  enwraps  it  on  every  side;  tiierefore  it  is  called  "sackcloth 
of  hair ;"  for  when  the  spiritual  mind,  which  is  the  higher  and  in- 
terior mind,  is  closed,  the  natural  mind,  which  is  lower  and  outer, 
is  in  thick  darkness  in  respe6l  to  all  things  of  heaven  and  the 
church  ;  for  all  the  light  that  the  natural  mind  has,  and  that  con- 
stitutes its  intelligence,  is  from  the  light  of  his  spiritual  mind,  and 
this  light  is  the  light  of  heaven.  The  sensual,  which  is  the  out- 
most of  the  natural,  is  also  in  the  light  of  heaven  like  something 
hairy  ;  from  this  it  is  that  "hair"  signifies  the  outmost  of  the  nat- 
ural man,  which  is  its  sensual  (see  A.c.  n.  3301,  5247,  5569-5573).  These 
things  have  been  said  to  make  known  why  it  is  said  that  "the 
sun  became  black  as  sackcloth  of  hair."  [2.]  The  above  is  evi- 
dent also  from  the  signification  of  the  "  moon  "  as  meaning  spir- 
itual truth,  which  is  called  the  truth  of  faith  (of  which  presently) ;  also 
from  the  signification  of  "  became  as  blood,"  as  meaning  that  truth 
was  falsified;  for  "blood"  in  the  genuine  sense  signifies  Divine 
truth,  and  in  the  contrary  sense,  violence  offered  to  Divine  truth, 

thus    Divine    truth    falsified    (that  this  is  the  signification  of  "blood"  in  the 

Word,  see  above,  n.  32g[/]) ;  this  makes  clear  what  "the  moon  be- 
came as  blood  "  signifies.  "  The  sun  "  signifies  the  Lord  in  respe6l 
to  Divine  love,  and  thus  with  man  good  of  love  to  the  Lord  from 
the  Lord,  and  "  the  moon  "  signifies  spiritual  truth,  because  the 
Lord  in  the  heaven  of  celestial  angels  appears  as  a  sun,  and  in  the 
heaven  of  spiritual  angels  as  a  moon.  His  appearing  as  a  sun  is 
from  His  Divine  love,  for  Divine  love  appears  as  a  fire,  from 
which  angels  in  the  heavens  have  their  heat ;  consequently  celes- 
tial and  spiritual  "fire"  means,  in  the  Word,  love.  The  Lord's 
appearing  as  a  moon  is  from  the  light  that  is  from  that  sun,  for 
the  moon  derives  her  illumination  from  that  sun,  and  light  in 
heaven  is  Divine  truth,  consequently  "light"  in  the  Word  signi- 
fies Divine  truth.  (But  of  the  Sun  and  the  Moon  in  the  Heavens,  and  th« 
Heat  and  Light  therefrom,  see  what  is  shown  in  Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  116-125, 
126-140.) 

[6.]  [3.]  That  in  the  Word  "sun"  signifies  the  Lord  in  re- 
spe6l  to  Divine  love,  and  with  man  good  of  love  to  the  Lord,  and 
"moon"  signifies  the  Lord  in  respe6l  to  Divine  truth  spiritual, 
is  evident  from  the  following  passages.     In  Matthew  : 

When  Jesus  was  transfigured  before  Peter,  James  and  John,  "  His  face 
did  shine  as  the  sun,  and  His  garments  became  as  light"  (xvii. 
1,2). 

Because  the  Lord  was  then  seen  in  His  Divine,  He  appeared  in 
respedl  to  His  face  "as  the  sun,"  and  in  respedl  to  His  garments 


S6S  AroCALYPSF.    EXPLAINED. 

"as  the  li.yht,"  because  the  face  corresponds  to  love,  and  "  gar- 
ments "  correspond  to  truths;  and  "His  face  did  shine  as  the 
sun  "  because  Divine  love  was  in  Him,  and  "  His  garments  became 
as  light"  because  Divine  truth  was  from  Him  ;  the  light  in  heaven 
is  Divine  truth  going  forth  from  the  Lord  as  a  sun.    (That  "  the  face" 

in  reference  to  the  Lord  nieiins  love  and  every  good,  see  A.C.,  n.  5585,  9306.  9546, 
9888;   and  that  "garments"  in  reference  to  the  Lord  signify  Divine  truth,  see  above, 

n.  64,  I95[<^].)  In  like  manner  the  Lord  appears  in  heaven  before 
angels  when  He  manifests  Himself  before  them,  but  He  then 
appears  out  of  the  sun.  He  was  therefore  seen  in  like  manner  by 
John  when  he  \\  as  in  the  spirit,  as  appears  from  the  Apocalypse, 
\\here  it  is  said  that 

The  face  of  the  Son  of  Man  was  seen  "as  the  sun  shineth  in  his  power" 
(i.  16). 

It  was  evidently  the  Lord  who  was  seen  (see  above,  n.  63).  [4.]  Like- 
wise when  the  Lord  was  seen  by  John  as  an  angel,  respe6ling 
which  we  read, 

"And  I  saw  a  mighty  angel  coming  down  out  of  heaven,  encompassed 
with  a  cloud,  and  a  rainbow  about  his  head,  and  his  face  was  as 
the  sun  "  {Apoc.  x.  i) ; 

for  "angels"  in  the  Word  in  its  spiritual  sense  does  not  mean  an- 
gels, but  something  Divine  from  the  Lord,  since  the  Divine  that 
appears  from  them  is  not  theirs,  but  the  Lord's  with  them.  So, 
too,  the  Divine  truth  they  speak,  which  is  full  of  wisdom,  they  do 
not  speak  from  themselves  but  from  the  Lord,  for  they  have  been 
men,  and  men  have  all  wisdom  and  intelligence  from  the  Lord. 
This  makes  clear  that  in  the  Word  "angel"  means  the  Lord, 
who  on  this  occasion  appeared  as  a  sun.     (That  in  the  Word,  "angel" 

means  something  Divine  from  the  Lord,  see  A.C.,  n.  1925,  2821,  3039,  4085,  6280, 
8192;  that   this  is  why  in  the  Word,  angels  are  called  gods,  n.  4295,  4402,  7268, 

7873,  8301,  8192.)  [5.]  So,  too,  when  the  church  was  represented  as 
a  woman,  the  sun  appeared  around  her ;  which  is  thus  described 
in  the  Apocalypse  : 

"  A  great  sign  was  seen  in  heaven  ;  a  woman  encompassed  with  the  sun, 
and  the  moon  under  her  feet,  and  upon  her  head  a  crown  of  twelve 
stars  "  (xii.  i). 

That  "the  woman"  here  signifies  the  church  will  be  seen  in  the 
explanation  that  will  be  given  in  what  follows.  (That  "woman  "  signi- 
fies the  church,  see  A.C.,  n.  252,  253,  749,770.)  And  becausc  the  church  is 
from  the  Lord  she  was  seen  encompassed  with  the  sun.  What 
is  signified  by  "  the  moon  under  her  feet,  and  upon  her  head  a 
crown  of  twelve  stars,"  will  also  be  shown  in  that  explanation. 


CHAP.    VI.,    VERSE    I2.^i\.   40l[^].  869 

[6.]    It  is  therefore  said  by  David  : 

"  The  God  of  Israel  said,  the  Rock  of  Israel  spake  to  me, ....  As  the  light 
of  the  morning  when  the  sun  riseth,  a  morning  without  clouds, .... 
from  clear  shining  after  rain"  (2  Sam.  xxiii.  3,  4). 

"The  God  of  Israel"  and  "  Rock  of  Israel"  here  mean  the  Lord 
in  relation  to  the  church,  and  in  relation  to  Divine  truth  therein, 
"  the  God  of  Israel"  in  relation  to  the  church,  and  "  Rock  of  Is- 
rael" in  relation  to  Divine  truth  therein  ;  and  as  the  Lord  is  the 
sun  of  the  angelic  heaven,  and  Divine  truth  going  forth  from 
Him  is  the  light  of  that  heaven,  it  is  said  of  the  Divine  which 
He  spake,  which  is  Divine  truth,  that  it  is  "  as  the  light  of  the 
morning  when  the  sun  riseth  ;"  because  this  is  pure,  and  goes 
forth  from  His  Divine  love,  it  is  added,  "a  morning  without 
clouds,  from  clear  shining  after  rain,"  for  the  brightness  of  the 
light,  that  is,  of  Divine  truth  going  forth  from  Him,  is  from  Di- 
vine love  ;  "after  rain"  signifies  after  communication  and  recep- 
tion, for  its  brightness  is  then  with  angels  and  men  to  whom  it 
is  communicated  and  by  whom  it  is  received.  (That  "  Rock  of  Is- 
rael," and  "  Stone  of  Israel,"  mean  the  Lord  in  relation  to  Divine  truth,  see  v4.C,  n. 
6426,  8581,  10580 ;  and  that  "  light  "  is  Divine  truth  going  forth  from  the  Lord  as  a 
sun,  thus  out  of  His  Divine  love,  see  Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  126-140.)     [7.]    In  like 

manner  it  is  said  of  those  who  love  Jehovah,  in  the  Book  of 
Judges  : 

"  Let  them  that  love  Him  be  as  the  rising  of  the  sun  in  his  might  "  (v.  31). 

That  in  the  Word  "Jehovah"  means  the  Lord  in  relation  to  the 
Divine  good  of  Divine  love  may  be  seen  in  the  Arcadia  Caeles- 
tia  (n.  1736,  2921,  3035,  5041,6303,  6281,  8864,  9315,  9373, 10146).  Of  those 
who  love  Him  it  is  said,  "as  the  rising  of  the  sun  in  his  might," 
which  signifies  the  Lord's  Divine  love  in  them.  Of  such  it  is 
also  said  that  "they  shall  shine  as  the  sun,"  in  Matthew : 

"The  righteous  shall  shine  as  the  sun  in  the  kingdom  of  My  Father" 

(xiii.  43). 

In  the  Word  those  are  called  "righteous"  who  love  the  Lord, 
that  is,  from  love  do  His  commandments  ;  and  in  respe6l  to  their 
faces  they  shine  with  an  effulgence  like  that  of  the  sun,  because  . 
the  Lord's  Divine  love  is  communicated  to  them  and  received 
by  them,  whereby  the  Lord  is  in  their  midst,  that  is,  in  their  in- 
teriors, which  manifest  themselves  in  the  face.     (That  those  who  are 

in  good  of  love  to  the  Lord  are  called  "  righteous."  see  above,  n.  204[i^].)     [8.]    In 

David : 

"  His  seed  shall  be  to  eternity,  and  His  throne  as  the  sun  before  Me.     It 

shall  be  steadfast  as  the  moon  to  eternity,  and  as  a  faithful  witness 
in  the  clouds  "  {Psalm  Ixxxix.  36,  37). 


870  APOCALYPSE  EXPLAINED. 

This  Is  said  of  the  Lord,  and  of  His  heaven  and  church,  for  by 
"  David,"  who  is  here  treated  of  in  the  sense  of  the  letter,  is  meant 
the  Lord  fsee  above,  n.  205)  ;  " his  seed"  which  shall  be  to  eternity 
signifies  Divine  truth,  and  also  those  who  receive  it ;  "  his  throne 
as  the  sun  before  Me  "  signifies  the  heaven  and  church  of  the 
.  Lord,  which  are  in  heavenly  good,  which  is  good  of  love ;  "  the 
tlirone  steadfast  as  the  moon  to  eternity"  signifies  a  heaven  and  a 
church  that  are  in  spiritual  good,  which  is  Divine  truth  ;  "a  faith- 
ful witness  in  the  clouds"  signifies  the  Word  in  the  sense  of  the 
letter,  which  is  called  "a  witness"  because  it  witnesses,  "clouds" 
meaning  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word.     [9.]    In  the  same, 

"  They  shall  fear  Thee  with  the  sun  and  before  the  moon,  a  generation 

of  generations In  His  days  shall  the  righteous  flourish  ;  and 

much  peace  till  the  moon  be  no  more His  name  shall  be  to 

eternity  ;  before  the  sun  shall  the  name  of  the  Son  be  held  ;  and  all 
nations  shall  be  blessed  in  Him"  {Psalm  Ixxii.  5,  7,  17). 

This,  too,  is  said  of  the  Lord,  for  this  psalm  treats  of  Him  ;  and 
as  the  Lord  appears  in  heaven  to  those  who  are  in  His  celestial 
kingdom  as  a  sun,  and  to  those  who  are  in  His  spiritual  kingdom 
as  a  moon,  it  is  said  "they  shall  fear  thee  with  the  sun  and  be- 
fore the  moon,  a  generation  of  generations  ;"  "  in  that  day  the 
righteous  shall  flourish,  and  much  peace  till  the  moon  be  no 
more,"  signifies  that  those  who  are  in  love  to  the  Lord  will  be  in 
truths  from  that  good,  for  in  those  who  are  in  the  celestial  king- 
dom, that  is,  in  love  to  the  Lord,  truths  are  implanted,  those  are 
called  "  righteous"  who  are  in  good  of  love,  and  "peace  "  is  pre- 
dicated of  that  good.  But  that  it  may  be  known  how  this  is  to 
be  understood,  "till  the  moon  be  no  more,"  it  shall  be  told.  The 
light  that  goes  forth  from  the  Lord  as  a  sun  differs  from  the  light 
that  goes  forth  from  the  Lord  as  a  moon  in  the  heavens,  as  the 
light  of  the  sun  in  the  world  by  day  differs  from  the  light  of  the 
moon  in  the  world  by  night ;  the  intelligence  of  those  who  are  in 
the  light  of  the  sun  of  heaven  differs  in  like  manner  from  the  in- 
telligence of  those  who  are  in  the  light  of  the  moon  there  ;  thus 
those  who  are  in  the  light  of  the  sun  there  are  in  pure  Divine 
truth  ;  but  those  who  are  in  the  light  of  the  moon  there  are  not 
In  pure  Divine  truth,  for  they  are  in  many  falsities,  which  they 
have  derived  from  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word  not  un- 
derstood, and  yet  these  falsities  appear  to  them  as  truths.  From 
this  it  can  be  seen  that  "  till  the  moon  be  no  more"  signifies  till 
there  no  longer  exists  with  them  falsity  appearing  as  truth,  but 
pure  truth  which  makes  one  with  good  of  love.  It  must  be  noted 
however,  that  the  falsities  of  those  who  are  in  the  light  of  the 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE    12. — N.  40l[c].  871 

moon  in  the  heavens  are  falsities  in  which  there  is  no  evil,  and 
that  such  falsities,  therefore,  are  accepted  by  the  Lord  as  if  they 

were  truths  (respecting  these  folsities,  see  The  Dodritie  of  the  New  yeriisalem, 

n.  21).  This,  therefore,  is  what  is  signified  by  "till  the  moon  be 
no  more,"  that  is,  with  those  who  are  meant  by  "  the  righteous 
in  whom  there  is  much  peace."  But  in  the  highest  sense,  by 
these  w^ords  the  Lord  in  relation  to  His  Divine  Human,  that 
this  shall  become  the  Divine  good  of  the  Divine  love,  is  meant, 
therefore  it  is  added,  "before  the  sun  the  name  of  the  Son  shall 
be  held,"  "Son"  meaning  tlie  Lord's  Divine  Human.  And  as 
"nations"  mean  all  who  are  in  good,  or  who  receive  good  of 
love  from  the  Lord,  it  is  said,  "  and  all  nations  shall  be  blessed 

in  Him."  (That  "nations"  signify  those  who  are  in  good,  and  "peoples" 
those  who  are  in  truths,  may  be  seen  above,  n.  33 ^*) 

[c]    [10.]   In  Isaiah: 

■"There  shall  be  upon  every  high  mountain  and  upon  every  lofty  hill 
brooks,  streams  of  waters,  in  the  day  of  the  great  slaughter,  when 
.the  towers  shall  fall.  And  the  light  of  the  moon  shall  be  as  the 
light  of  the  sun,  and  the  light  of  the  sun  shall  be  sevenfold,  as  the 
light  of  seven  days  "  (xxx.  25,  26). 

This  is  said  of  the  last  judgment,  which  is  meant  by  "  the  day  of 
the  great  slaughter,  when  the  towers  shall  fall,"  "the  towers" 
that  shall  fall  meaning  those  who  are  in  evils  and  in  falsities 
therefrom,  in  particular,  those  who  are  in  a  love  of  ruling  by 
means  of  the  holy  things  of  the  church  (see  Lastyndtimeiit.  n.  56.  58). 
That  to  those  who  are  in  love  to  the  Lord  and  in  charity  towards 
the  neighbor  it  shall  then  be  given  to  understand  truths,  is  sig- 
nified by  "there  shall  be  upon  every  high  mountain  and  upon 
^very  lofty  hill  brooks,  streams  of  waters."  Those  "upon  a 
high  mountain"  mean  those  who  are  in  good  of  love  to  the 
Lord,  "high  mountain"  signifying  that  good  ;  those  "upon  a 
lofty  hill "  mean  those  who  are  in  good  of  charity  towards  the 
neighbor,  "hill"  signifying  that  good  ;  "brooks  and  streams  of 
waters"  signify  intelligence  from  truths.  That  there  shall  then 
be  truth  in  the  Lord's  spiritual  kingdom,  as  before  there  was 
truth  in  the  celestial  kingdom,  and  that  the  truth  in  the  celestial 
kingdom  shall  then  become  good  of  love  is  meant  by  "the  light 
of  the  moon  shall  be  as  the  light  of  the  sun,  and  the  light  of  the 
sun  shall  be  sevenfold,  as  the  light  of  seven  days  ;"  for  "light" 
means  Divine  truth  going  forth  from  the  Lord,  "light  of  the 
moon"  Divine  truth  in  the  spiritual  kingdom,  and  "light  of  the 
sun"  Divine  truth  in  the  celestial  kingdom;  " sevenfold "  sig- 
nifies full  and  perfed,  and  truth  is  full  and  perfed  when  it  be- 
-comes  good,  that  is,  good  in  form.     It  can  be  seen  that  this 


872  APOCALYPSE    KXPLAINKO 

means,  not  the  sun  and  moon  on  the  earth,  but  the  sun  ;.ncl 
moon  in  the  heavens.  It  is  to  be  noted,  that  when  a  last  judg- 
ment is  being-  effe61ed  the  Lord  appears  in  the  hea\ens  in  much 
greater  effulgence  and  splendor  than  at  other  times,  and  this  be- 
cause the  angels  there  must  then  be  more  powerfully  defended  ; 
for  lower  things,  with  which  the  exteriors  of  the  angels  have 
communication,  are  then  in  a  state  of  disturbance.  Therefore, 
as  the  last  judgment  is  here  treated  of  it  is  said,  "the  light  of 
the  moon  shall  be  as  the  light  of  the  sun,  and  the  light  of  the 
sun  shall  be  sevenfold,  as  the  light  of  seven  days  ;"  and  it  is  also 
said  that  "there  shall  be  brooks,  streams  of  waters,  upon  every 
high  mountain,  and  upon  every  lofty  hill,"  which  signifies  abund- 
ant intelligence  with  those  who  are  upon  the  higher  mountains 
and  higher  hills,  for  on  the  lower  mountains  and  hills  is  where 

the  judgment  takes  place.  (That  the  Lord  appears  to  those  who  are  in  His 
celestial  kingdom  as  a  sun,  and  to  those  who  are  in  His  spiritual  kingdom  as  a  moon, 
see  Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  116-125;  and  that  the  light  from  these  is  Divim'  truth,  n. 

127-140.)     [II.]    In  the  same, 

"  Thy  sun  shall  no  more  go  down,  and  thy  moon  shall  not  withdraw  : 
for  Jehovah  shall  be  unto  thee  for  a  light  of  eternity,  and  the  days 
of  thy  mourning  shall  be  fulfilled  "  (Ix.  20). 

This  treats  of  the  Lord,  and  of  a  new  heaven  and  new  earth,  that 
is,  of  a  church  to  be  established  by  Him.  That  to  those  in  that 
church  good  of  love  to  the  Lord  and  good  of  charity  towards 
the  neighbor  should  not  perish  is  meant  by  "thy  sun  shall  no- 
more  go  down,  and  thy  moon  shall  not  withdraw  ;"  for  to  those 
who  are  in  good  of  love  to  the  Lord  He  appears  as  a  sun,  and 
to  those  who  are  in  truths  from  good  of  charity  toward.s  the 
neighbor  He  appears  as  a  moon  ;  so  "  thy  sun  "  signifies  good  of 
love  to  the  Lord,  and  "  thy  moon"  good  of  charity,  which,  in  its 
essence,  is  truth  from  good.  That  they  shall  continue  to  eternity 
in  truths  from  good  of  love,  and  in  truths  from  good  of  charity  is 
meant  by  "Jehovah  shall  be  unto  thee  for  a  light  of  eternity,  i'.nd 
the  days  of  thy  mourning  shall  be  fulfilled,"  "light  of  eternity" 
is  predicated  of  those  who  are  in  good  of  love  to  the  Lord,  and 
"fulfilling  the  days  of  mourning"  of  those  who  are  in  good  of 
charity  towards  the  neighbor,  or  in  truths  from  good  ;  for  wath 
those  who  were  of  the  ancient  churches,  "mourning"  repre- 
sented grief  on  account  of  the  loss  or  destruction  of  truth  and 
good  ;  "  fulfilled  "  signifies  ended,  thus  that  they  shall  be  in  truths 
from  good.  From  all  this  the  signification  of  "the  sun  became 
as  sackcloth  of  hair,  and  the  moon  became  as  blood,"  can  be  seen, 
namely,  that  good  of  love  to  the  Lord  was  separated,  and  thus 


CHAP.   VI.,  VERSK    I  2.  -    N.  40 1  [f].  873 

truth  was  falsified.  [12.]  Nearly  the  same  is  signified  in  the  fol- 
lowing passages.     In  Isaiah: 

"Behold  the  day  of  Jehovah  cometh,  cruel  with  indignation  and  wrath 
of  anger,  to  lay  the  earth  waste  ;  and  He  shall  destroy  its  sinners 
out  of  it.  For  the  stars  of  the  heavens  and  the  constellations 
thereof  do  not  give  their  light  ;  the  sun  is  darkened  in  its  rising, 
and  the  moon  maketh  not  her  light  to  shine.  I  will  visit  wicked- 
ness upon  the  world,  and  upon  the  wicked  their  iniquity  "  (xiii.  9-1 1). 

"The  day  of  Jehovah,  cruel  with  indignation  and  wrath  of  an- 
ger," signifies  the  day  of  the  last  judgment;  "the  stars  of  the 
heavens  and  the  constellations  thereof  do  not  give  their  light, 
the  sun  is  darkened  in  its  rising,  and  the  moon  maketh  not  her 
light  to  shine,"  signifies  that  the  knowledges  of  good  and  truth 
have  perished,  as  well  as  good  of  love  to  the  Lord,  and  good  of 
charity  towards  the  neighbor,  and  thus  the  truth  that  is  called 
truth  of  faith  ;  for  "stars"  signify  knowledges  of  good,  "constel- 
lations" knowledges  of  truth,  "the  sun"  good  of  love  to  the 
Lord,  and  "  the  moon  "  good  of  charity  towards  the  neighbor, 
which,  in  its  essence,  is  truth  from  good,  and  is  called  truth  of 
faith.  The  sun  is  said  "to  be  darkened  in  its  rising,"  and  the 
moon  "not  to  make  her  light  to  shine  ;"  not  that  the  sun  and 
moon  in  the  angelic  heavens  are  darkened,  for  the  sun  there  is 
always  in  its  effulgence,  and  the  moon  in  its  splendor  ;  but  before 
those  who  are  in  evils  and  in  falsities  therefrom,  goods  and  truths 
are  thus  obscured  ;  it  is  therefore  according  to  the  appearance 
that  it  is  so  said,  for  those  who  are  in  evils  and  in  falsities  there- 
from turn  themselves  away  from  good  of  love  and  charity,  con- 
sequently from  the  Lord,  and  then  they  will  nothing  but  evil  and 
think  nothing  but  falsity,  and  those  who  so  will  and  think  see 
nothing  but  thick  darkness  and  darkness  in  such  thmgs  as  per- 
tain to  heaven  and  the  church.  Because  such  are  meant  by  those 
with  whom  "  the  sun  is  darkened,  and  the  moon  maketh  not  her 
light  to  shine,"  it  is  said,  "to  lay  the  earth  waste,  and  He  shall 
destroy  its  sinners  out  of  it,"  and  afterwards,  "  I  will  \isit  wick- 
edness upon  the  world,  and  upon  the  wicked  their  iniquitv," 
"earth"  and  "world"  signifying  the  church,  "laying  it  waste" 
signifying  that  there  is  no  longer  any  good,  and  "  \'isiting  wick- 
edness upon  the  world,  and  ui)on  the  wicked  their  iniciuity,"  sig- 
nifving  the  last  judgmant.     [13.]    In  Ezekicl : 

"When  I  shall  extinguish  thee  I  will  cover  the  heavens  and  make  the 
stars  thereof  dark  ;  I  will  cover  the  sun  with  a  cloud,  and  the  moon 
shall  not  make  her  light  to  shine  :  all  luminaries  of  light  in  the 
heavens  will  I  make  dark  over  thee,  and  I  will  set  darkness  upon 
thy  land  "  (xxxii.  7,  8). 

This  is  said  of  Pharaoh  king  of  Egypt,  by  whom  is  here  ^•ignified 


S74  APOCALYPSE  EXPLAINED. 

the  MatLiral  man  separate  Ironi  the  sphitual ;  which  when  it  is  sep- 
arated is  wholly  in  thick  darkness  and  in  darkness  in  regard  to  all 
things  of  heaven  and  the  church,  and  so  far  as  it  is  sejiarated 
denies  them  ;  for  the  natural  man  sees  nothing  in  such  things 
from  itself,  but  only  through  the  spiritual  man  from  the  Lord, 
since  the  natural  man  is  in  the  heat  and  light  of  the  world,  while 
the  spiritual  man  is  in  the  heat  and  light  of  heaven.  PVom  this 
it  is  clear  what  is  meant  by  the  particulars  here,  namely,  "  When 
I  extinguish  thee  I  will  cover  the  heavens"  signifies  the  interi- 
ors which  are  in  the  light  of  heaven ;  "  I  will  make  the  stars 
thereof  dark"  signifies  knowledges  of  good  and  truth  ;  "I  will 
cover  the  sun  with  a  cloud"  signifies  good  of  love  to  the  Lord  ; 
"the  moon  shall  not  make  her  light  to  shine"  signifies  good  of 
charity  towards  the  neighbor  and  truth  of  faith  therefrom  ;  "all 
luminaries  of  light  will  I  make  dark  over  thee"  signifies  all 
truths  ;  and  "  I  will  set  darkness  u[)on  thy  land  "  signifies  falsities. 
[14.]    In  Joel: 

"The  day  of  Jehovah   cometh A  day  of   darkness  and  of  thick 

darkness,  a  day  of  cloud  and  obscurity Before  Him  the  earth 

was  shaken,  ....  the  sun  and  the  moon  were  darkened,  and  the 
stars  withdrew  their  shining"  (ii.  i,  2,  10). 

In  the  same, 

"The  sun  shall  be  turned  into  darkness,  and  the  moon  into  blood,  before 
the  great  and  terrible  day  of  Jehovah  cometh"  (ii.  31). 

In  the  same, 

"The  day  of  Jehovah  is  near  in  the  valley  cut  off.  The  sun  and  the  moon 
were  darkened,  and  the  stars  withdrew  their  shining  "  (iii.  14,  15). 

In  the  Gospels : 

"  Immediately  after  the  affli6lion  of  those  days  the  sun  shall  be  darkened, 
and  the  moon  shall  not  give  her  light,  and  the  stars  shall  fall  from 
heaven  "  {Matt.  xxiv.  29  ;  Ma7-k  xiii.  24,  25). 

In  the  Apocalypse  : 

"The  fourth  angel  sounded,  and  the  third  part  of  the  sun  was  smitten, 
and  the  third  part  of  the  moon,  and  the  third  part  of  the  stars  ;  and 
the  third  part  of  them  was  darkened,  and  the  day  shone  not  for  the 
third  part  of  it,  and  the  night  likewise  "  (viii.  12). 

In  another  place, 

"Out  of  the  pit  of  the  abyss  there  went  up  a  smoke  as  the  smoke  of  a 
great  furnace  ;  and  the  sun  was  darkened  and  the  air  by  the  smoke  " 
(ix.  2). 

It  is  clear  from  what  has  been  said  above,  that  in  these  passages 
"  the  sun  and  moon  darkened  {atratos  et  obtenebratoi) ''  means  that 
there  was  no  longer  any  good  or  any  truth  ;  therefore  they  are 
not  further  explained. 


CHAP.   VI.,  VERSE    12. — N.   ^OIj:'].  S'75 

[#1.]  [15.]  Because  such  things  are  signified  by  "  the  sun  dark- 
ened," the  sun  was  darkened  when  the  Lord  was  upon  the  cross, 
because  He  was  entirely  rejected  by  the  church  that  then  existed 
among  the  Jews,  who  were  consequently  in  dense  darkness,  that 
is,  in  falsities.     This  is  thus  described  in  Luke : 

"  At  the  sixth  hour  darkness  came  over  all  the  land  until  the  ninth  hour, 
for  the  sun  was  darkened  "  (xxiii.  44,  45). 

This  was  done  as  a  sign  and  token  that  the  Lord  was  denied,  and 
that  thus  there  was  no  good  nor  truth  with  those  who  were  of  the 
church ;  for  with  them  all  signs  from  the  heavens  represented 
and  signified  such  things  as  are  of  the  church,  because  the  church 
with  them  was  a  representative  church,  that  is,  it  consisted  of 
such  things  in  externals  as  represented  and  thus  signified  the  in- 
ternal things  of  the  church.  That  "  darkness  came  over  all  the 
land  "  signified  that  with  those  who  were  of  the  church  there  was 
nothing  except  falsities  of  evil,  "all  the  land"  meaning  all  the 
church,  and  "darkness"  signifying  falsities;  that  it  continued 
for  three  hours,  namely,  "from  the  sixth  to  the  ninth  hour,"  sig- 
nifies that  there  remained  mere  falsity,  and  no  truth  whatever, 
for  "three"  signifies  full,  whole,  and  entirely,  and  "six"  and 
"nine"  signify  all  things  in  the  complex,  here  falsities  and  evils  ; 
and  because  there  were  falsities  and  evils  with  them,  from  the 
Lord's  having  been  denied,  it  is  said,  "  and  darkness  came,  and 
the  sun  was  darkened,"  "  the  sun  "  that  was  darkened  meaning 
the  Lord,  who  is  said  to  be  "  darkened  "  when  falsities  so  prevail  in 
the  church  that  He  is  not  acknowledged,  and  evils  so  prevail  that 

He  is  crucified.  (That  each  and  everything  related  in  the  Word  concerning 
the  Lord's  passion  is  significative  may  be  seen  above,  n.  64,  83,  I95[^]  at  the  end.) 

[16.]    In  Micah  : 

"Jehovah  said  against  the  prophets  that  lead  the  people  astray, ...  It  shall 
be  night  unto  you  for  vision  ;  and  darkness  shall  arise  to  you  for 
divination  ;  and  the  sun  shall  go  down  over  the  prophets,  and  the 
day  shall  grow  black  over  them  "  (iii.  5,  6). 

What  these  words  signify  in  the  spiritual  sense,  may  be  seen 
above  (n.  372[a]),  where  they  are  explained.     In  Amos  : 

"  It  shall  come  to  pass  in  that  day, ....  that  I  will  cause  the  sun  to  set 
at  noon,  and- 1  will  darken  the  earth  in  a  day  of  light"  (viii.  9). 

This  signifies  that  in  the  church,  where  the  Word  is  from  which 
it  might  be  known  what  is  good  and  true,  there  is  nevertheless 
nothing  but  evil  and  falsity.  "To  cause  the  sun  to  set,"  and 
"to  darken  the  earth,"  signify  evil  of  life,  and  falsity  of  do6irine 
in  the  church  ;  for  "  the  rising  of  the  sun  "  signifies  good  of  love. 


876  APOCALYPSE  EXPLAINED. 

w  hich  is  good  of  the  life,  and  "  the  setting  o[  the  sun  "  signifies 
evil  of  love,  which  is  evil  of  the  life;  and  "the  darkening  of  the 
earth"  signifies  consequent  falsity  of  docflrine,  "darkness"  sig- 
nifying falsities,  and  "the  earth"  the  church,  "at  noon,"  and 
"in  a  day  of  light,"  signify  when  there  might  be  knowledges 
of  good  and  truth,  because  they  have  the  Word,  "noon"  sig- 
nifying where  there  are  knowledges  of  good,  and  "day  of  light" 
where  there  are  knowledges  of  truth.  Such  knowledges  as  are 
from  the  Word  are  meant,  because  it  is  the  church  where  the 
Word  is  that  is  here  treated  of     [17.]    In  Hakakxik : 

"The  mountains  were  moved  ;  the  overflowing  of  waters  passed  by.  . . . 
The  sun  and  moon  stood  in  their  habitation  ;  thine  arrows  go  forth 
in  Hght,  the  lightning  of  thy  spear  in  splendor"  (iii.  10,  11). 

This  chapter  treats  of  the  Lord's  coming  and  of  a  last  judg- 
ment then  accomplished  by  Him  ;  "the  mountains  were  moved, 
the  overflowing  of  waters  passed  by,"  signifies  that  those  who 
were  in  the  love  of  self  and  the  world  were  cast  out  because  of 
the  falsities  of  evil  into  which  they  were  let,  "mountains"  sig- 
nifying the  loves  of  self  and  the  world,  and  "the  overflowing  of 
waters"  to  be  let  into  falsities  from  those  loves,  "waters"  mean- 
ing falsities,  and  "overflowing"  to  be  let  into  them.  That  by 
those  in  that  state  genuine  truths  and  goods  are  not  seen,  but 
instead  q'(  these,  illusive  truths  and  goods,  which  in  themseh^es 
are  falsities  and  evils,  is  signified  by,  "thine  arrows  go  forth  in 
light,  the  lightning  of  thy  spear  in  splendor,"  "arrows"  or 
"lightnings"  signifying  illusive  truths,  which  in  themselves  are 
falsities,  and  "  the  lightning  of  the  spear  "  signifying  illusive  goods 
which  in  themselves  are  evils  of  falsity.  Moreover,  such  signs 
appear  in  the  spiritual  world,  in  the  case  of  those  who  are  in  fals- 
ities from  the  loves  of  self  and  the  world,  when  the  final  judgment 
takes  place,  and  these  are  cast  out.  [18.]  As  in  this  prophecy  it  is 
said,  "  The  sun  and  moon  stood  in  their  habitation,"  the  signifi- 
cance of  the  sun's  resting  in  Gibeon,  and  the  moon  in  the  valley  of 
Aijalon  shall  also  be  explained,  which  is  thus  described  in  Joshua: 

"Then  spake  Joshua  to  Jehovah,.  ..  .and  he  said  in  the  eyes  of  Israel, 
Sun,  rest  thou  in  Gibeon  ;  and  thou,  moon,  in  the  valley  of  Aijalon  ; 
and  the  sun  rested,  and  the  moon  stayed,  until  the  nation  was 
avenged  upon  its  enemies.  Is  not  this  written  upon  the  Book  of 
the  Upright  ?  And  the  sun  stood  in  the  midst  of  heaven,  and  hasted 
not  to  go  down  about  a  whole  day"  (x.  12,  13). 

That  the  sun  is  said  to  have  stood  in  Gibeon,  and  the  moon  in  the 
valley  of  Aijalon,  signifies  that  the  church  was  wholly  vastated  in 
respe6l  to  all  good  and  truth,  for  a  battle  was  then  going  on 
against  the  king  of  Jerusalem  and  the  kings  of  the  Amorites  ;  and 


CHAP.  VI.,  \i:rsk  12.  —n.  401  [a'J.  877 

"the  king  of  Jerusalem"  signifies  the  truth  of  the  church  wholly 
vastated  by  falsities,  and  "the  kings  of  the  Amorites"  signify  the 
good  of  the  church  vastated  by  evils  ;  therefore  those  kings  were 
smitten  with  hailstones,  which  signify  the  dire  folsities  of  evil.  It 
is  said  that  the  sun  and  the  moon  stood  in  their  place,  that  is,  be- 
fore the  sons  of  Israel,  that  they  might  see  their  enemies  ;  but  this, 
although  it  is  told  as  history,  is  a  prophecy,  as  is  evident  from  its 
being  said,  "  Is  not  this  written  upon  the  Book  of  the  Upright?^^ 
which  was  a  [)rophetical  book  from  which  this  was  taken  ;  so  it 
was  Irom  the  same  book  that  it  was  said,  "  Until  the  nation  was 
avenged  upon  its  enemies,"  and  not,  Until  the  sons  of  Israel  were 
avenged  upon  their  enemies,  the  term  "nation"  being  used  pro- 
phetically. This  is  evident  also  from  the  fact  that  if  this  miracle  had 
occurred  just  in  this  way,  the  whole  cosmical  order  would  have 
been  overthrown,  vvhicli  is  not  the  case  with  the  other  miracles 
recorded  in  the  Word.  That  it  might  be  known,  therefore,  that 
this  was  said  prophetically,  it  is  added,  "  Is  not  this  written  upon 
the  Book  of  the  Upfightf  And  yet  without  doubt  there  was 
given  to  them  a  light  out  of  heaven,  a  light  in  Gibeon  like  that  of 
the  sun,  and  a  light  in  the  \'alley  of  Aijalon  like  that  of  the  moon. 
[19.]    In  ye7'emiah  : 

"She  that  hath  borne  seven  shall  languish,  she  shall  breathe  out  her 
soul  ;  her  sun  shall  go  down  while  it  is  yet  day,  it  shall  be  ashamed 
and  blush  ;  and  the  residue  of  them  will  I  deliver  to  the  sword  be- 
fore their  enemies  "  (xv.  9). 

^'She  that  hath  borne  seven  shall  languish,  she  shall  breathe  out 
her  soul,"  signifies  that  the  church  to  which  the  Word  is  given 
and  through  it  all  truths,  is  about  to  perish,  "to  bear  seven" 
meaning   to   be   gifted    with    all    the   truths   of  the   church    (as 

in  the  Firsi  Book  of  Samuel,  ii.  5,  see  above,  n.  257).       "  Her  SUH   shall   gO 

down  while  it  is  yet  day"  signifies  that  the  good  of  the  church  is 
about  to  perish,  although  the  church  has  the  Word,  and  might 
through  the  Word  be  in  light.  "It  (that  is,  the  sun)  shall  be 
ashamed  and  blush  "  signifies  because  good  and  truth  are  not  re- 
ceived, but  evil  and  falsity  (as  is  evident  also  from  the  next  quo- 
tation from  Isaiah^  ;  "  the  residue  of  them  will  I  deliver  to  the 
sword  before  their  enemies"  signifies  that  all  the  remaining  good 
and  truth  will  perish  through  falsity  from  evil,  "residue"  mean- 
ing all  that  remains,  "to  be  delivered  to  the  sword"  meaning  to 
perish  on  account  of  falsities,  "enemies"  meaning  e\iLs.  [20.]  In 
Isaiah  : 

■  Jehovah  will  visit  upon  the  host  of  the  height  in  the  height,  and  upon 

the  kings  of  the  earth  who  are  upon  the  earth Then  the  moon 

Ghall  blush,  and  the  sun  be  ashamed"  (xxiv.  21,23). 


878  APOCALYPSE  EXPLAINED. 

"To  visit"  signifies  to  destroy,  because  visitation  precedes  judg- 
ment, when  those  who  are  in  evils  and  in  falsities  therefrom  are 
destroyed;  "the  host  of  the  height  in  the  height"  signifies  all 
evils  that  are  from  the  love  of  self,  "host"  signifying  all  evils; 
"  kings  of  the  earth"  falsities  of  every  kind,  and  "the  earth"  the 
church.  This  makes  clear  the  signification  of  "Jehovah  will  visit 
upon  the  host  of  the  height  in  the  height,  and  upon  the  kings  of 
the  earth  who  are  upon  the  earth."  It  is  said  "upon  the  host 
of  the  height  in  the  height "  because  those  who  are  in  the  love 
of  self  seek  in  the  spiritual  world  high  places.  "Then  the  moon 
shall  blush,  and  the  sun  be  ashamed,"  signifies  that  there  is  no 
longer  any  reception  of  Divine  truth  and  Divine  good,  "  moon  " 
and  "sun  "  signifying  the  truth  of  faith  and  the  good  of  love,  and 
these  are  said  "  to  blush  and  be  ashamed  "  when  they  are  no 
longer  received,  but  falsity  and  evil  are  received  in  their  place. 
[21.]    In  David  : 

Jehovah,  "  who  hath  made  the  heavens  by  His  intelligence who  hath 

stretched  out  the  earth  above  the  waters  ; . . .  .  who  hath  made  great 
luminaries, ....  the  sun  for  rule  by  day, ....  the  moon  and  stars  for 
rule  by  night : . . .  .  Who  hath  smitten  Egypt  in  their  first-born, .... 
and  hath  brought  out  Israel  from  the  midst  of  them  "  {Psalm 
cxxxvi.  5-1 1). 

He  who  knows  nothing  of  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word  must 
believe  that  there  is  nothing  irivolved  in  these  words  except  what 
appears  in  the  sense  of  the  letter  ;  and  yet  every  particular  in- 
volves such  things  as  pertain  to  angelic  wisdom,  which  are  all 
celestial  Divine  and  spiritual  Divine  things.  This  describes  the 
new  creation,  that  is,  regeneration  of  men  of  the  church,  of  whom 
the  church  consists  :  "the  heavens,"  which  Jehovah  hath  made 
by  His  intelligence,  signify  the  internal  things  of  men  of  the 
church,  which,  in  one  expression,  are  called  the  spiritual  man, 
where  intelligence  has  its  seat,  and  where  their  heaven  is  ;  "the 
earth,"  which  He  hath  stretched  out  above  the  waters,  signifies 
the  external  of  the  church,  which  in  one  expression,  is  called  the 
natural  man  ;  this  is  said  to  be  "  stretched  out  above  the  waters  " 
because  there  the  truths  are  by  which  man  is  regenerated,  "wa- 
ters "  meaning  truths.  "  The  great  luminaries,  the  sun,  moon,  and  | 
stars,"  signify  the  good  of  love,  truth  from  that  good,  and  know- 
ledges of  good  and  truth,  "the  sun,"  good  of  love,  "the  moon" 
truth  from  that  good,  and  "the  stars"  knowledges  of  good  and 
truth.  The  sun  is  said  to  have  been  made  "for  rule  by  day,"  be- 
cause "  day"  signifies  the  light  of  the  spiritual  man,  for  the  spir- 
itual man  has  enlightenment  and  perception  from  good  of  love ; 
the  moon  and  the  stars^re  said  to  have  been  made  "for  rule  by 


CHAP.   VI.,  VERSE    12.— N.  40l[<?].  879 

night,"  because  "night"  signifies  the  light  of  the  natural  man, 
and  its  light,  as  compared  with  the  light  of  the  spiritual  man,  is 
like  the  Hght  of  night  from  the  moon  and  the  stars  as  com- 
pared with  the  light  of  day  from  the  sun.  Because  this  treats 
of  the  regeneration  of  the  men  of  the  church  it  is  added,  "who 
hath  smitten  Egypt  in  their  first-born,  and  hath  brought  out 
Israel  from  the  midst  of  them,"  "Egypt"  signifying  the  natural 
man,  such  as  it  is  by  birth,  namely,  in  mere  falsities  from  evil, 
"their  first-born"  mean  primary  things,  the  destru6lion  of  these 
while  man  is  being  regenerated  is  meant  by  "who  hath  smitten 
Egypt  in  their  first-born."  "  Israel"  signifies  the  spiritual  man  ; 
and  "  to  bring  him  out  from  the  midst  of  them"  signifies  to  open 
the  spiritual  man,  and  thus  to  regenerate  ;  for  the  Lord  regener- 
ates the  man  of  the  church  by  dispersing  the  falsities  from  evils 
that  are  in  the  natural  man,  and  by  opening  the  spiritual  man, 
and  this  is  effe6led  by  the  Lord  by  means  of  spiritual  light,  which 
is  Divine  truth. 

[e.]    [22.]   Like  things  are  signified  by  these  words  in  Gen- 
esis : 

"God  made  two  great  luminaries  ;  the  great  luminary  to  rule  by  day, 
and  the  lesser  luminary  to  rule  by  night,  and  the  stars  "  (i.  16). 

This  chapter  treats  of  the  new  creation,  that  is,  the  regeneration 
of  the  men  of  whom  the  Most  Ancient  church  consisted,  and  this 
is  described  in  the  sense  of  the  letter,  by  the  creiitidn  of  heaven 
and  earth.  Like  things  are  signified,  too,  by  these  words  in  yer- 
emiah  : 

"  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovih,  who  giveth  the  sun  for  light  by  day,  and 
the  ordinances  of  the  moon  and  stars  for  light  by  night  "(xxxi.  35). 

"The  ordinances  of  the  moon  and  stars"  signify  all  things  that 
are  done  in  the  natural  man  according  to  the  laws  of  order. 
[23.]    In  David  : 

"  Praise  ye  Jehovah,  all  His  angels  ;  praise  ye  Him,  all  His  hosts  ;  praise 
Him,  sun  and  moon ;  praise  Him,  all  ye  stars  of  light;  praise  Him, 
ye  heavens  of  heavens  "  {Psalm  cxlviii.  2-4). 

"  To  praise  Jehovah"  signifies  to  worship  Him  ;  "angels"  signilv 
those  who  are  in  Divine  truths  from  the  good  of  love,  for  such 
are  angels  ;  "all  the  hosts"  signify  goods  and  truths  in  the  whole 
complex  ;  "sun  and  moon"  signify  the  good  of  love  and  truth 
from  that  good  ;  "stars  of  light"  signify  knowledges  of  truth  from 
good  ;  "  heavens  of  heavens  "  signify  goods  and  truths  both  in- 
ternal and  external ;  and  as  man  worships  the  Lord  from  those 
things  that  are  in  him  from  the  Lord,  thus  from  the  goods  and 


;  ")0  APOCALYPSE    EXPI.AINF:D. 

t:iuh.s  that  are  in  him,  and  as  man  is  a  man  from  tliesc,  it  is  said 
to  them,  namely,  to  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars,  which  signify  goods 
and  truths,  that  they  "shall  j)raise,"  that  is,  worship,  Jehovah. 
Who  does  not  know  that  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars  do  not  praise, 
that  is,  worship?     [24.1    In  Moses: 

'  "Of  Joseph  he  said,  Blessed  of  Jehovah  be  his  land,  for  the  precious 
things  of  heaven,  for  the  dew,  and  for  the  deep  that  lieth  beneath, 
and  for  the  precious  things  of  the  produdls  of  the  sun,  and  for  the 
precious  things  of  the  produce  of  the  months  "  {Deut.  xxxiii.  13,  14). 

This  is  said  in  the  blessing  of  the  sons  of  Israel  by  Moses ; 
and  because  "Joseph"  means  the  spiritual-celestial,  who  are 
those  that  are  highest  in  the  spiritual  kingdom,  and  thus  most 
closely  communicate  with  those  who  are  in  the  Lord's  celestial 
kingdom,  "his  land"  signifies  that  spiritual  kingdom,  likewise  a 
church  that  consists  of  such  ;  "the  precious  things  of  heaven,  the 
dew,  and  the  deep  that  lieth  beneath,"  signify  things  spiritual- 
celestial  in  the  internal  and  external  man.  "The  precious  things 
of  the  produ6ls  of  the  sun,  and  the  precious  things  of  the  pro 
duce  of  the  months,"  signify  all  things  that  go  forth  from  the 
Lord's  celestial  kingdom,  and  all  things  that  go  forth  from  His 
spiritual  kingdom,  thus  the  goods  and  truths  therefrom,  "the 
sun "  signifying  the  good  of  love  to  the  Lord  from  the  Lord 
which  is  the  good  that  those  have  who  are  in  the  Lord's  ce- 
lestial kingdom,  "  its  produ6ts  "  signifying  all  things  that  go  forth 
from  it ;  "  the  produce  of  the  months  "  signifies  all  things  that  go 
forth  from  the  Lord's  spiritual  kingdom,  "months"  here  signify- 
ing the  same  as  "the  moon,"  namely,  truths  from  good,  for  the 
same  word  is  used  for  both  in  the  original.  But  all  this  that  has 
been  said  must  seem  obscure  to  one  who  knows  nothing  about 
the  two  kingdoms  of  heaven,  the  celestial  and  the  spiritual,  and 
about  their  conjunction  by  intermediates.  (But  respedting  these  kingdoms 

and  the  intermediates,  see  what  is  said  in  Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  20-28.)     [25.]    In 

Isaiah  : 

I  will  make  thy  suns  of  rubies,  and  thy  gates  of  carbuncles,  and  all  thy 
border  of  stones  of  desire  "  (liv.  12). 

This  is  said  of  the  nations  outside  of  the  church,  from  whom  a 
new  church  was  to  be  established  by  the  Lord.  "I  will  make 
thy  suns  like  rubies  "  signifies  that  goods  will  be  brilliant  from  the 
fire  of  love,  "  suns  "  here  meaning  goods  of  love,  and  "  the  ruby  " 
meaning  a  brilliance  as  from  fire.  "  1  will  make  thy  gates  of  car- 
buncles" signifies  that  truths  will  be  resplendent  from  good, 
"  gates"  meaning  introductory  truths,  in  particular  the  d.o<5^'''- 


CHAT.    VI.,    VERSE    12. — N.  40l[t'].  88l 

that  are  from  good,  for  all  truths  of  doctrine  that  are  genuine 
go  forth  from  good,  and  are  of  good  ;  and  "carbuncles"  signify 
the  brightness  of  these  from  good  ;  in  fa(ft,  all  precious  stones 
signify  truths  from  good,  and  their  color,  brightness,  and  fire  in- 
dicate the  quality  of  the  truth  from  good.  "  I  will  make  all  their 
border  of  stones  of  desire"  signifies  that  true  knowledges  {scienti- 
/tea),  which  belong  to  the  natural  man,  will  be  pleasant  and  enjoy- 
able from  good  ;  for  "  border  "  has  the  same  meaning  as  "  founda- 
tion," and  this  means  the  natural  man,  for  in  the  things  in  it  the 
goods  and  truths  of  the  spiritual  man  are  terminated,  and  "  stones 
of  desire  "  mean  truths  pleasant  and  enjoyable  from  good  ;  by 
these  are  meant  the  goods  and  truths  of  the  Word  which  those 
who  constitute  the  new  church  will  have,  and  which  will  be  such. 
That  the  "sun"  signifies  good  of  love  is  evident,  too,  from  their 
being  called  "suns,"  in  the  plural.     [26.]  «In  yob : 

"  Did  I  rejoice  because  my  means  were  great,  and  because  my  harrd  had 
found  much?  did  I  behold  the  light  that  it  shone,  and  the  moon 
that  it  walked  in  brightness  ?  and  hath  my  heart  secretly  misled 
itself,  and  my  hand  kissed  my  mouth?"  (.xxxi.  25-28.) 

These  words  mean  in  the  spiritual  sense  that  he  had  not  acquired 
for  himself  intelligence  from  what  was  his  own  (ex  propria),  and  had 
taken  no  merit  to  himself  for  his  intelligence,  and  had  not  gloried 
in  it ;  for  "  Did  I  rejoice  because  mv  means  were  great,  and  becau.'^e 
my  hand  had  found  much?"  signifies,  had  he  gloried  over  having 
intelligence,  and  having  acquired  it  for  himself  from  what  was  his 
own  (ex propria)  ?  "  mcans  "  signify  knowledges  of  good  and  truth, 
by  which  intelligence  is  gained  ;  "  and  because  mv  hand  had  found 
much"  signifies  to  have  acquired  from  what  is  one's  own  (ex pro- 
pria). "  Did  I  behold  the  light  that  it  shone,  and  the  moon  that  it 
walked  in  brightness," signifies  to  have  spiritual  truths,  which  con- 
stitute intelligence,  "light"  and  the  "moon"  signifying  spiritual 
truths.  "  Hath  my  heart  secretly  misled  itself,  and  my  hand  kissed 
my  mouth?"  signifies,  have  I  therefore  gloried  inwardly,  and  have 
I  claimed  them  to  myself?     [27.]    In  Matthew  : 

"That  ye  may  be  sons  of  your  Father  who  is  in  he  heavens  ;  who 
maketh  His  sun  to  rise  on  the  evil  and  on  the  good,  and  sendeth 
rain  on  the  just  and  on  the  unjust "  (v.  45). 

This  treats  of  charity  towards  the  neighbor,  as  is  evident  from 
what  here  precedes  and  follows,  and,  in  particular,  of  the  Jews, 
who  accounted  the  nations  as  enemies,  and  their  own  people  as 
friends.  That  they  ought  to  love  the  nations  the  same  as  their  own 
people  the  Lord  makes  clear  by  this  comparison  ;  but  as  all  com- 
parisons in  the  Word  are  from  correspondences,  and  from  that 


882  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

are  significative,  as  other  things  are  that  are  not  said  compara- 
tively, so  is  it  with  this  comparison  ;  and  "  the  Father  in  the  heav- 
ens maketh  His  sun  to  rise  on  the  evil  and  on  the  good,  and 
sendeth  rain  on  the  just  and  on  the  unjust,"  signifies  that  the 
Lord  flows  in  from  heaven  with  the  Divine  good  of  love  and  with 
Divine  truth,  with  those  who  are  outside  of  the  Jewish  church 
as  much  as  with  those  who  are  within  it,  "  sun  "  here  signifying 
good  of  love,  and  "rain"  Divine  truth.  "The  evil  and  the  un- 
just" signify  in  the  internal  sense  those  who  were  of  the  Jew- 
ish church,  since  they  did  not  receive;  and  "the  good  and  the 
just"  signify  those  who  were  outside  of  the  church  and  did  re- 
ceive. In  general,  all  the  evil  and  the  good,  and  the  just  and  the 
unjust,  are  here  meant,  for  the  Lord  flows  in  with  good  and  truth 
equally  with  all,  but  all  do  not  receive  equally.  [28.]  Because  "  the 
sun "  signifies  the  Lord  in  relation  to  Divine  love,  He  is  called 
"the  Sun  of  righteousness" 

(in  Malachi  iv.  2) ; 

and  "a  Sun  and  Shield" 

(in  David,  Psalm  Ixxxiv.  11). 

Because  "the  sun"  signifies  the  good  of  love  to  the  Lord  with 
man,  "  from  the  rising  of  the  sun  unto  its  going  down  "  signifies  all 
who  are  in  good  of  love  to  the  Lord,  from  the  first  to  the  last, 
"  from  the  rising  of  the  sun  "  meaning  from  the  first,  and  "  unto  the 
going  down  of  the  sun  "  meaning  to  the  last,  as  in  the  following 
passages.     In  Malachi: 

"From  the  rising  of  the  sun  even  unto  its  going  down  is  My  name  great 
among  the  nations  "  (i.  11). 

In  David  : 

"  From  the  rising  of  the  sun  unto  its  going  down  the  name  of  Jehovah 
is  to  be  praised"  {Psalm  cxiii.  3). 

In  the  same, 

"  God,  Jehovah  God,  speaketh,  and  shall  call  the  earth  from  the  rising 
of  the  sun  unto  its  going  down  "  {Psalm  1.  i). 

In  Isaiah  : 

"That  they  may  know  from  the  rising  of  the  sun,  and  from  its  going 
down,  that  there  is  none  beside  Me"  (xlv.  6). 

In  the  same, 

"  From  the  going  down  of  the  sun  shall  they  fear  the  name  of  Jehovah, 
and  His  glory  from  the  rising  of  the  sun  "  (lix.  19). 

In  the  same, 

"I  will  raise  up  one  that  shall  come  from  the  north,  and  that  shall  call 
upon  My  name  from  the  rising  of  the  sun"  (xli.  25). 


CHAP.   VI.,   VERSE    12. — N.   40l[/].  S?3 

'From  the  rising  of  the  sun  unto  its  goii^  down"  signifies  all, 
from  the  first  to  the  last,  who  are  in  good  of  love  to  the  Lord, 
because  all  in  heaven  dwell  according  to  quarters.  Those  who 
are  in  good  of  love  to  the  Lord  dwell  from  the  east  to  the  west  ; 
those  who  dwell  in  the  east  are  those  who  are  in  a  clear  good  of 
love,  and  those  who  dwell  in  the  west  are  those  who  are  in  an 
obscure  good  of  love.  This  is  why  "from  the  rising  of  the 
sun  unto  its  going  down"  signifies  all,  from  the  first  to  the  last, 
who  are  in  the  good  of  love.  The  words  in  Isaiah,  "  I  will  raise 
up  one  that  shall  come  from  the  north  and  from  the  rising  of  the 
sun"  signify  those  who  are  outside  of  the  church,  and  those  who 
are  inside  of  it ;  for  "the  north  "  signifies  obscurity  of  truth,  thus 
those  who  are  outside  of  the  church,  because  they  are  in  obscur- 
ity in  regard  to  truths  from  not  having  the  Word,  and  thus  not 
knowing  anything  about  the  Lord  ;  and  "the  rising  of  the  sun" 
signifies  those  who  are  within  the  church,  because  they  ha\e 
the  Word  in  which  the  Lord  is  always  present,  and  so  in  His 

rismg.  (That  "  the  east  "  or  "  the  rising  of  the  sun,"  and  "  the  west  "  or  "  the  set- 
ting of  the  sun,"  mean  the  good  of  love  in  clearness  and  the  good  of  love  in  ob- 
scurity, see  Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  141,  148-150;  and  that  "  the  north  "  means  truth 
in  obscurity,  in  the  same  chapter,  n.  148-150;  for  the  Four  Quarters  in  the  Spiritual 
World  are  there  treated  of.) 

[/•]  Again,  "the  setting  of  the  sun  "  signifies  the  state  of  the 
church  when  it  is  in  ignorance,  which  is  its  first  state  ;  and  "  the 
rising  of  the  sun"  signifies  its  state  when  it  is  in  light.  "The 
setting  of  the  sun  "  signifies  also  the  state  of  the  church  when  it 
is  in  evils  and  in  falsities  therefrom  ;  and  "  the  rising  of  the  sun  " 
when  it  is  in  goods  and  in  truths  therefrom.  [29.]  The  first  state 
of  the  church,  when  it  is  still  in  ignorance,  is  signified  by  the 
commencement  of  the  passover  in  the  evening  when  the  sun  was 
set,  according  to  these  words  of  Moses  : 

"  Thou  shalt  sacrifice  the  passover  at  even,  when  the  sun  shall  have  set,  in 
the  stated  time  of  thy  going  forth  out  of  Egypt "  {Detii.  xvi.  6). 

For  "the  feast  of  the  passover"  signified  the  celebration  of  the 
Lord  on  account  of  deliverance  from  damnation,  which  is  effected 
by  regeneration  ;  and  in  the  highest  sense,  a  recalling  of  the  glo- 
rification of  the  Lord's  Human,  because  deli\'erance  is  from  that 
(see  ^.C,  n.  7093,7867,  9286-9292,  10655).  And  because  the  first  state 
of  regeneration  is  a  state  of  ignorance,  the  beginning  of  that  feast 
was  "at  even,  when  the  sun  had  set."  Again,  that  state  is  sig- 
nified by  "the  going  forth  of  the  sons  of  Israel  out  of  Egvpt."  for 
in  Egypt  they  were  in  a  servile  state,  and  thus  in  a  state  of  ignor- 
ance ;  therefore  it  is  said, "  in  the  stated  time  of  the  going  forth  out 
of  Egvpt."     [30.]    The  last  state  of  the  church,  when  the  church 


884  ArOCAI.YPSE    EXPLAINED. 

is  in  falsities  and  evils,  for  this  state  is  its  last,  is  signified  by  "the 
setting  of  the  sun  "  in  Moses  : 

"When  the  sun  was  near  its  setting,  a  deep  sleep  fell  upon  Abram  ;  and 

lo,  a  horror  and  great  darkness  fell  upon  him At  length,  when 

the  sun  had  set,  and  it  had  become  dark,  behold,  a  furnace  of  smoke, 
and  a  torch  of  fire  that  passed  through  between  these  pieces  "  {(Jen. 
XV.  12,  17). 

These  things  are  said  of  the  posterity  of  Abrani  from  Jacob,  that 
is,  of  the  Israelitish  and  Jewish  nation  ;  and  "  when  the  sun  was 
near  its  setting,"  and  "at  length,  when  the  sun  had  set,"  signify 
the  last  .state  of  the  church  in  that  nation,  that  they  were  in  mere 
falsities  and  evils;  "great  darkness  "and  "furnace  of  smoke," 
signify  falsities  from  evil;  and  "torch  of  fire"  signifies  the  dire 
love  of  .sell,  from  which  came  their  evils  and  falsities. 

[f/,]  [31.]  As  most  things  in  the  Word  have  also  a  contrary 
sense,  so  have  "sun"  and  "moon"  and  in  that  .sense  "sun "sig- 
nifies love  of  self,  and  "moon,"  falsities  therefrom.  "Sun  and 
moon"  have  this  signification  because  those  who  are  in  natural 
thought  only,  and  not  in  spiritual  thought,  do  not  think  beyond 
nature  ;  therefore  when  they  see  that  from  these  two  luminaries, 
or  from  their  light  and  heat,  all  things  arise  and,  as  it  were,  live 
upon  the  earth,  they  suppose  that  these  luminaries  rule  the  uni- 
verse ;  above  this  they  do  nor  raise  their  thoughts.  This  is  true 
of  all  who  are  in  the  love  of  self  and  in  evils  and  falsities  there- 
from, for  such  are  merely  natural  and  sensual  men,  and  the  merely 
natural  and  sensual  man  does  not  think  beyond  nature,  for  what 
he  does  not  see  and  touch  he  believes  to  be  nothing.  With  the 
ancients,  all  things  of  the  church  consisted  of  representatives  of 
spiritual  things  in  natural ;  with  them,  therefore,  "the  sun  "  signi- 
fied the  Lord  in  relation  to  Divine  good,  and  "the  moon"  the 
Lord  in  relation  to  Divine  truth,  consequently  in  worship  they 
turned  their  faces  to  the  rising  of  the  sun  ;  and  those  among  them 
who  were  in  love  of  self,  and  were  therefore  merely  natural  and 
sensual,  began  to  worship  as  their  chief  gods  the  sun  and  the 
moon  that  they  saw  with  their  eyes  ;  and  because  those  alone  did 
this,  or  persuaded  others  to  do  it,  who  were  in  the  love  of  self 
and  in  evils  and  falsities  therefrom,  so  "  the  sun "  signifies  the 
love  of  self,  and  "the  moon"  falsity  therefrom.  This  becomes 
still  more  evident  in  the  case  of  spirits  in  the  other  life  who  in  the 
world  had  been  of  this  character  ;  these  turn  the  face  away  from 
the  Lord,  and  turn  it  towards  something  there  that  is  dark  and 
gloomy  which  is  in  the  place  of  the  sun  and  moon  of  the  world, 
over  against  the  sun  and  moon  of  the  angelic  heaven  (on  which 


CHAP.  VI.,   VERSE    12. — N.   40l[.f].  885 

more  may  be  seen  in  Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  122,  123).       By  persons  like   this 

the  worship  of  the  sun  and  moon  was  instituted  in  ancient  times, 
when  all  Divine  worship  was  representative  ;  but  at  this  day, 
when  representatives  have  ceased,  the  worship  of  the  sun  and 
moon  does  not  exist  in  the  Christian  world,  but  in  its  place  the 
worship  of  self,  which  exists  with  those  in  whom  the  love  of  ruling 
predominates.  This  makes  clear  the  si^^nification  of  "sun  and 
moon"  in  the  contrary  sense.  [32.]  That  in  ancient  times  the 
sun  and  moon  were  worshipped  is  evident  from  the  fa6l  that  the 
Cientiles  dedicated  shrines  to  them,  which  are  referred  to  in  many 
histories.  That  the  Egyptians  as  well  as  the  Jews  and  Israelites 
worshipped  the  sun  and  moon  is  evident  from  the  Word.  That 
the  Egyptians  did,  see  in  yereiniah  : 

The  king  of  Babylon  "  shall  come,  and  shall  smite  the  land  of  Egypt,.  . .  . 
and  shall  break  in  pieces  the  pillars  of  the  house  of  the  sun  in  the 
land  of  Egypt"  (xliii.  11,  13). 

That  the  Jews  and  Israelites  did.  see  in  Hzckicl : 

I  beheld  "their  faces  towards  the  east;  and  the  same  bowed  themselves 
towards  the  rising  of  the  sun  "  (viii.  16). 

This  treats  of  the  abominations  ot  Jerusalem.  In  the  Second 
Book  of  Kings  : 

Josiah  the  king  "put  down  the  idolatrous  priests,.  .  .  .  them  that  burned 
incense  unto  Baal,  to  the  sun,  to  the  moon,  and  to  the  stars,  and 

to  all  the  host  of  the  heavens He  furthermore  took  away  the 

horses  that  the  kings  of  Judah  had  set  up  to  the  sun  at  the  enter- 
ing in  of  the  house  of  Jehovah and  burned  the  chariots  of  the 

sun  with  fire  "  (xxiii.  5,  11). 

In  ycrcmiah  : 

"  They  shall  bring  out  the  bones  of  the  kings  of  Judah,  the  bones  of  his 
princes,  and  the  bones  of  his  priests,  and  the  bones  of  his  prophets, 
and  the  bones  of  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem  ;  .  . .  .and  they  shall 
spread  them  to  the  sun  and  the  moon  and  all  the  host  of  the  heav- 
ens, which  they  have  loved,  and  which  they  have  served  "  (viii.  i,  2) ; 

and  also 

Jer.  xliv.  17-19,  25  ;  Deut.  iv.  19;  xvii.  3,  5. 

33.]  Because  "Moab"  in  the  Word  signifies  those  who  are  in 
a  life  of  falsity  from  the  love  of  self,  and  their  worship  signifies 
the  worship  of  self,  so  when  the  Israelitish  people  drew  near  to 
the  worship  of  the  Moabitish  people,  it  was  commanded  that  the 
chiefs  of  the  people  should  be  hung  up  before  the  sun  ;  respe6ting 
'.vhich  it  is  thus  written  in  Moses  : 

The  daughters  of  Moab  "  called  the  people  unt^>  the  sacrifices  of  their 
gods  ;  and  the  people  did  eat,  and  bowed  down  to  their  gods.  Es-. 
pecially  did  Israel  join  himself  unto  Baalpeor;  ....  therefore  Jeho-. 
vah  said  unto  Moses,  Take  all  the  chiefs  of  the  people,  and  hr.ng 
them  up  before  the  sur,  "  (A  «/«.  xxv.  1-4). 


836  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

"Moab"  signifies  those  who  are  in  a  life  of  falsity  from  love  of 
self,  and  who  consequently  adulterate  the  goods  of  the  church 
(see  ^.C.  n.  2468.  8315).  t34.J  From  this  it  is  clear  that  the  sun 
of  the  world  signiries  love  of  self.  Because  love  of  self  lets  man 
down  into  what  is  his  own  (propnum),  and  holds  him  there,  for  it 
looks  continually  to  self,  and  man's  own  is  nothing  but  evil,  and 
from  evil  comes  every  falsity,  so  "the  heat  of  the  sun"  signifies 
adulterated  truth,  which  in  its  essence  is  the  falsity  of  evil.  This 
is  signified  bv  "the  heat  of  the  sun"  in  the  following  passages. 
In  the  Apocalypse  : 

'  The  fourth  angel  poured  out  his  bowl  upon  the  sun  ;  and  it  was  given 
unto  him  to  scorch  men  with  fire"  (xvi.  8). 

And  elsewhere, 

"  They  shall  hunger  no  more, ....  neither  shall  the  sun  fall  on  them,  nor 
any  heat "  (vii.  16). 

In  David  : 

"The  sun  shall  not  smite  thee  by  day,  nor  the  moon  by  night.  Jehovah 
shall  guard  thee  from  all  evil  ;  He  shall  guard  thy  soul"  {Psalm 
cxxi.  6,  7). 

The  "sun"  here  means  the  love  of  self,  and  the  "moon"  falsity 
therefrom  ;  because  from  that  love  is  all  evil,  and  from  evil  all 
falsity,  it  is  said,  "Jehovah  shall  guard  thee  from  all  evil,  and  He 
shall  guard  thy  soul,"  "soul"  signifying  a  life  of  truth.  [35.]  In 
Matthew  : 

"Other"  seeds  "fell  upon  the  rocky  places,  where  they  had  not  much 
soil ; . . . .  and  when  the  sun  was  risen  they  were  scorched,  and 
because  they  had  no  root  they  withered  away "  (xiii.  5,  6 ;  Mark 
iv.  5,  6). 

"Seeds"  signify  truths  from  the  Word,  that  is,  the  truths  man 
receives  from  the  Lord,  for  it  is  afterwards  said,  that  it  is  "the 
Son  of  Man"  that  soweth.  "Rocky  places"  signify  an  historical 
faith,  which  is  another's  faith  in  oneself,  which  is  believing  a  thing 
to  be  true,  not  because  one  so  sees  it  in  himself,  but  because 
another  in  whom  he  has  confidence  has  said  it.  "Soil"  signifies 
spiritual  good,  because  this  receives  truths  as  soil  does  seeds. 
"  The  sun's  rising  "  signifies  the  love  of  self ;  and  "  to  be  scorched  " 
and  "  to  wither  away  "  signify  to  be  adulterated  and  to  perish. 
This  makes  clear  what  is  signified  by  these  words  of  the  Lord  in 
connexion,  namelv,  that  the  truths  that  are  implanted  from  in- 
fancy from  the  Word  or  from  preaching,  when  man  begins  to  think 
from  himself,  are  adulterated  and  perish  by  lusts  from  the  love  of 
self.  All  things  in  the  Word  are,  indeed,  truths,  but  they  are 
adulterated  by  the  ideas  of  thought  concerning  them,  and  by  the 


CHAP.  VI.,   VERSE    12. — N.    40l[//].  887 

way  they  are  applied,  consequently  in  such  case  truths  are  not 
truths  except  in  respe6l  to  the  mere  utterance  of  them.  This  is 
so  because  all  the  life  of  truth  is  from  spiritual  good,  and  spirit- 
ual good  has  its  seat  in  the  higher  or  interior  mind,  which  is 
called  the  spiritual  mind.  This  mind  cannot  be  opened  in 
those  who  are  in  the  love  of  self,  for  they  in  everything  look  to 
self  If  they  lift  their  eyes  to  heaven,  still  the  thought  of  their 
spirit  is  held  in  the  consideration  of  self;  consequently  from  the 
fire  of  its  own  glory  it  incites  the  external  and  corporeal  sensual 
things  which  have  been  taught  from  childhood,  to  the  imitation 
of  such  afteclions  as  belong  to  the  spiritual  man. 

[Il,]  [36.]  It  is  written  in  Jonah  that  "the  gourd  that  came 
up  over  him  withered,  and  that  the  sun  beat  upon  his  head,  so 
that  he  fell  sick."  As  this  cannot  be  understood  without  ex- 
planation by  the  internal  sense,  it  shall  be  explained  in  a  few 
words.     It  is  thus  told  in  yonah: 

Jehovah  "prepared  a  gourd  that  came  up  over  Jonah,  that  it  might  be 
a  shadow  over  his  head  to  turn  away  his  evil,  and  Jonah  rejoiced 
over  the  gourd And  God  prepared  a  worm,  when  the  morn- 
ing rose  the  next  day,  and  it  smote  the  gourd  that  it  withered.  It 
also  came  to  pass  when  the  sun  arose  that  God  prepared  a  scorch- 
ing east  wind ;  and  the  sun  beat  upon  the  head  of  Jonah,  and  he 

fell  sick  so  that  he  asked  that  his  soul  might  die Then  God 

said  to  Jonah,  Is  it  right  for  thee  to  be  angry  over  the  gourd?  He 
said.  It  is  right  for  me  to  be  angry,  even  unto  death.  Jehovah  said, 
Thou  hast  had  pity  over  the  gourd,  for  which  thou  hast  not  labored, 
nor  didst  thou  make  it  complete,  because  thou  didst  become  a  son  oi 
night,  and  a  son  of  night  perisheth  ;  shall  not  I  have  pity  upon 
Nineveh,  a  great  city,  in  which  are  more  than  six  score  thousand 
of  men?"  (iv.  6-1 1.) 

This  is  a  description  of  the  genius  of  the  Jewish  nation,  that  they 
are  in  the  love  of  self  and  in  falsities  therefrom.  Jonah  was  of  that 
nation,  and  therefore  was  sent  to  Nineveh  ;  for  the  Jewish  nation 
had  the  Word,  and  were  therefore  able  to  teach  those  who  were 
outside  of  the  church,  and  who  are  called  Gentiles  ;  these  are 
signified  by  "Nineveh."  Because  the  Jewish  nation  was,  above 
others,  in  the  love  of  self  and  in  falsities  from  that  love,  they 
wished  well  to  none  but  themselves,  thus  not  to  the  Gentiles,  but 
these  they  hated.  Because  the  character  of  that  nation  was  such, 
and  Jonah  represented  it,  he  was  very  angry  that  Jehovah  should 
spare  Nineveh,  for  it  is  said, 

"Jonah  was  sick  with  a  great  sickness,  so  that  he  was  angry,"  and  from 
the  sickness  of  anger  he  said,  "  Take,  O  Jehovah,  my  soul  from  me, 
for  my  death  is  better  than  my  life"  (verses  i,  3). 

This  evil  in  that  nation  is  signified  by  the  gourd  which  the  worm 
smote  so  that  it  withered.     "  The  sun  that  beat  upon  the  head 


888  APOrAI.YPSK    EXPI.AINKO. 

of  Jonah  "  signifies  the  love  of  self  which  prevailed  in  that  na- 
tion ;  and  "  the  scorching  east  wind  "  falsity  therefrom  ;  and  "  the 
worm  that  smote  the  gourd  "  signifies  the  destru6lion  of  this  evil 
and  its  falsity.  That  this  is  the  signification  of  "the  gourd"  is 
evident  from  its  being  said  in  this  description  that  Jonah  at  first 
"rejoiced  over  the  gourd,"  and  after  the  gourd  had  been  smitten 
by  the  worm  and  had  withered  that  "  he  was  angry  over  it,  even 
unto  death," and  also  from  its  being  said  that  "he  had  pity  over 
the  gourd."  That  the  Jewish  nation,  because  it  was  in  such  a 
love  and  in  such  falsity  therefrom,  was  liable  to  damnation,  is 
meant  by  these  words  to  Jonah, "  thou  didst  not  make  it  complete^ 
because  thou  didst  become  a  son  of  night,  and  a  son  of  night 

perisheth."      {That  such  was  the  characfler  of  the  Jewish  nation,  see  Doflr'uie  of 

the  New  Jerusalem,  n.  2^%.)  [37.]  The  love  of  Self  is  signified  here 
and  in  the  preceding  passages,  because  "the  sun  "in  the  genuine 
spiritual  sense  signifies  love  to  the  Lord,  and  the  love  of  self  is 
the  opposite  of  this  love.  Moreover,  the  Lord's  Divine  love, 
which  is  present  with  every  one,  is  turned  into  the  love  of  self 
with  the  evil ;  for  everything  that  flows  in  is  changed  in  the  re- 
cipient subjedl  into  what  agrees  with  its  own  nature  ;  as  the  pure 
heat  of  the  sun  is  turned  into  an  offensive  smell  in  subje6ts  of 
such  a  nature,  and  the  pure  light  of  the  sun  into  hideous  colors 
in  objects  of  such  reception  ;  this  is  why  "the  sun  that  beat  upon 
the  head  of  Jonah  "  signifies  the  love  of  self,  that  is,  in  him  ;  like- 
wise "  the  sun  that  was  risen  "  by  which  the  seeds  were  scorched 
upon  the  rocky  places,  mentioned  in  Matthew.  [38.]  In  the 
Apocalypse  : 

"  The  city"  New  Jerusalem  "hath  no  need  of  the  sun  and  moon  to  shine 
in  it,  for  the  glory  of  God  doth  lighten  it,  and  the  Lamb  is  the 
lamp  thereof"  (xxi.  23;  xxii.  5). 

"  The  sun  "  here,  of  which  the  city  New  Jerusalem  shall  have  no 
need,  signifies  natural  love,  which,  viewed  in  itself,  is  the  love 
of  self  and  the  world  ;  and  "the  moon"  signifies  natural  light, 
for  natural  light,  viewed  in  itself,  is  from  natural  love,  and  the 
quality  of  the  light  is  according  to  the  quality  of  the  love  ;  while 
spiritual  love  and  spiritual  light  are  signified  by  "  the  glory 
of  God  shall  lighten  it,  and  the  Lamb  is  the  lamp  thereof" 
[39.]  That  such  is  the  sense  of  these  words  is  very  evident  from  ' 
the  following  from  Isaiah  : 

"  The  sun  shall  be  no  more  a  light  to  thee  by  day,  and  for  brightness 
the  moon  shall  not  give  light  unto  thee  ;  but  Jehovah  shall  be  un- 
to thee  for  a  light  of  eternity,  and  thy  God  for  thy  glory.  Thy  sun 
shall  no  more  go  down,  and  thy  moon  shall  not  withdraw  ;  for  Je- 
hovah shall  be  unto  thee  for  a  light  of  eternity,  and  the  days  of 
thy  mourning  shall  be  fulfilled  "  (Ix.  19,  20). 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE    I3. — N.    403[a].  SS9 

In  the  first  part  of  this  passage  "  tlie  sun  ami  moon  "  have  the 
same  meaning  as  above  in  the  Apocalypse,  namely,  "the  sun" 
signifies  merely  natural  love,  and  "the  moon"  natural  light 
therefrom  ;  but  in  the  latter  part  of  the  passage  "  the  sun  and 
moon"  mean  the  sun  and  moon  of  the  angelic  heaven,  and 
that  sun  signifies  the  Lord's  Divine  love,  and  the  moon  Di- 
vine truth,  as  was  explained  above.  For  it  is  first  said,  "the 
sun  shall  be  no  more  a  light  to  thee  by  day,  and  for  bright- 
ness the  moon  shall  not  give  light  unto  thee  ;"  and  afterwards 
it  is  said,  "thy  sun  shall  no  more  go  down,  and  thy  moon 
shall  not  withdraw."  From  all  this  it  is  now  evident  what  "sun 
and  moon"  signify  in  both  senses. 

402.  [  Verse  13.]  "And  the  stars  of  heaven  fell  unto  the  earth  " 
signifies  that  knowledges  of  good  and  truth  perished. — This  is 
evident  from  the  signification  of  "stars,"  as  meaning  knowledges 
of  good  and  truth  (see  above,  n.  72) ;  also  from  the  signification  of 
"falling  unto  the  earth,"  as  meaning  to  perish  ;  for  when  stars  fall 
to  the  earth  they  perish.     The  same  is  signified  by 

The  "stars  shall  fall  from  heaven  "  {Mail.  xxiv.  29  ;  and  Mark  xiii.  25). 

Any  one  can  see  that  "stars"  here  do  not  mean  stars,  for  these 
cannot  fall  from  heaven,  for  they  are  fixed  or  established  in  their 
place,  and  cannot  fall  to  the  earth,  because  they  are  larger  than 
the  earth  ;  consequently  by  them  are  signified  such  things  as  be- 
long to  heavenly  light,  and  give  light,  which  are  knowledges  of 
good  and  truth.  Moreover,  stars  appear  in  the  angelic  heaven, 
but  they  are  appearances  from  knowledges  of  good  and  truth, 
therefore  they  appear  about  those  who  are  in  such  knowledges, 
especially  when  they  turn  them  over  in  the  mind,  and  are  desir- 
ous of  knowing  them. 

403[a],  "As  a  fig  tree  casteth  her  unripe  figs  when  shaken 
hy  a  great  wind"  signifies  which  knowledges  the  natural  ma7i  has 
swept  away  by  its  reasonings. — This  is  evident  from  the  significa- 
tion of  "  fig  tree,"  as  meaning  the  natural  man  (of  which  presently) ; 
from  the  signification  of  "her  unripe  figs,"  as  meaning  the  things 
that  are  in  the  natural  man,  which  especially  are  knowledges  im- 
planted in  the  natural  man  from  infancy,  and  that  are  not  vet  ma- 
ture, having  been  merely  heard  and  thus  accepted  ;  also  from  the 
signification  of  "shaken  by  a  great  wind,"  as  meaning,  which  the 
natural  man  has  laid  waste  by  reasonings.  "  To  be  shaken  bv  a 
great  wind  "  here  signifies  reasonings  from  the  falsities  of  evil,  for 
"great"  in  the  Word  is  j>redicated  of  good  and  of  evil,  "wind"' 


890  APOCALYPSE    EXPI.AIXF.D. 

of  truth  and  of  falsit}",  and  "  to  bu  shaken  thereby,"  of  reasoning 
therefrom.  Such  is  the  signification  of  these  words,  although 
they  are  used  comparatively,  because  in  the  Word  all  compari- 
sons, like  all  other  things,  are  significative,  for  they  are  equally 
correspondences.  With  respe6l  to  these  things,  the  case  is  this  , 
every  man  is  born  natural  from  his  parents,  but  becomes  sj)iritual 
from  the  Lord,  which  is  called  to  be  born  anew  or  to  be  regener- 
ated ;  and  because  he  is  born  natural,  the  knowledges  that  he 
imbibes  from  infancy,  before  he  becomes  spiritual,  are  imj^lanted  in 
his  natural  memory  ;  but  as  he  advances  in  years  and  begins  to 
consider  rationally  the  knowledges  of  good  and  truth  that  he  has 
imbibed  from  the  Word  or  from  preaching,  if  he  is  then  leading  an 
evil  life  he  eagerly  adopts  and  is  imbued  with  the  falsities  that  are 
opposite  and  contrary  to  these  knowledges,  and  then,  because  he 
is  endowed  with  ability  to  reason,  he  reasons  from  falsities  against 
the  knowledges  of  his  infancy  and  childhood,  in  consequence 
of  which  these  are  cast  out,  and  falsities  take  their  place  ;  this, 
therefore,  is  what  is  signified  by  "the  stars  shall  fall  to  the 
earth  as  a  fig  tree  casteth  her  unripe  figs  when  shaken  by  a  great 
wind."  [2.]  That  "the  fig  tree"  signifies  the  natural  man  is 
from  correspondence ;  for  in  heaven  gardens  and  paradises  are 
seen,  where  there  are  trees  of  every  kind,  and  each  tree  signifies 
something  of  the  Divine  that  is  communicated  to  angels  by 
the  Lord.  In  general,  "the  olive"  signifies  the  celestial,  which 
is  of  the  good  of  love  ;  "the  vine"  the  spiritual,  which  is  of  truth 
from  that  good  ;  and  "the  fig  tree,"  the  natural,  which  is  derived 
from  the  spiritual  or  the  celestial.  And  as  these  trees  have  this 
signification  they  also  signify  the  angel  or  man  in  whom  such 
things  exist.  But  in  a  general  sense  they  signify  a  whole  society, 
because  every  society  in  the  heavens  is  so  formed  as  to  present 
the  image  of  a  single  man.  In  the  spiritual  sense,  however,  these 
trees  signify  the  church,  "the  olive"  the  celestial  church,  "the 
vine  "  the  spiritual  church,  and  "  the  fig  tree"  the  natural  church, 
which  is  the  external  church  corresponding  to  the  internal.  From 
all  this  it  can  be  seen  why  "  the  fig  tree"  is  said  to  signify  the 
natural  man,  that  is,  the  natural  with  man. 

[ft.]  [3.]  That  "the  fig  tree"  signifies  this,  and,  in  general, 
the  external  church,  is  evident  also  from  other  passages  in  the 
Word,  where  it  is  mentioned,  as  from  the  following.     In  Isaiah  : 

"  All  the  host  of  the  heavens  shall  waste  away,  and  the  heavens  shall  be 
rolled  up  as  a  book ;  and  all  their  host  shall  fall  down  as  the  leaf 
falleth  off  from  the  vine,  and  as  that  which  falleth  from  the  fig 
tree  "  (xxxiv.  4). 

This  is  said  of  the  day  of  the  last  judgment,  which  was  to  come, 


CHAT.   VI.,   VERSE    I3. — N.  403[(^].  89I 

and  w'.iich  did  come  ;  for  the  last  judgment  foretold  by  the  proph- 
ets of  the  Old  Testament  was  accomplished  by  the  Lord  when 
He  was  in  the  world  ;  and  as  the  things  then  done  were  like  those 
done  in  the  last  judgment  that  is  foretold  in  the  Apocalypse,  and 
has  at  this  day  been  accomplished  by  the  Lord,  so  nearly  the  same 
things  are  said  ;  as  in  the  prophet  Isaiah,  that  "all  the  host  of 
the  heavens  shall  foil  down,  as  the  leaf  falleth  off  from  the  vine, 
and  as  that  which  falleth  from  the  fig  tree,"  likewise  that  "the 
heavens  shall  be  rolled  up  as  a  scroll ;"  and  in  the  Apocalypse ,  that 
"the  stars  shall  fall  unto  the  earth,  as  a  fig  tree  casteth  her  unripe 
figs," and  that  "the  heaven  shall  depart  as  a  book  rolled  up."  "  All 
the  host  of  the  heavens  shall  waste  away  "  signifies  that  all  goods 
and  truths  that  are  of  love  and  faith  are  corrupted,  "  host  of  the 
heavens  "  meaning  all  goods  and  truths  that  are  of  love  and  faith  ; 
for  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars,  by  which  these  are  signified,  are 
called  "  the  host  of  the  heavens."  "  The  heavens  shall  be  rolled  up 
as  a  book"  signifies  dispersion;  "all  the  host  shall  fall  down  as 
the  leaf  from  the  vine,  and  as  that  which  falleth  from  the  fig- 
tree,"  signifies  a  laying  waste  from  the  falsities  of  evil.  [4.]  In 
yereniiah  : 

"  In  consuming  I  will  consume  them  ; . . . .  there  shall  be  no  grapes  on 
the  vine  nor  figs  on  the  fig  tree,  and  the  leaf  shall  fade  "  (viii.  13). 

"  No  grapes  on  the  vine"  signifies  that  there  is  no  spiritual  good, 
for  "the  vine"  signifies  the  spiritual  man,  and  "the  grape,"  as 
being  its  fruit,  signifies  the  good  of  that  man,  which  is  called  spir- 
itual good  ;  "nor  figs  on  the  fig  tree"  signifies  that  there  is  no 
natural  good,  for  "the  fig  tree"  signifies  the  natural  man,  and 
"the  fruit  of  the  fig  tree  "  signifies  the  good  of  that  man  which  is 
called  natural  good.  Evidently  "  the  vine"  does  not  mean  a  vine, 
nor  "the  fig  tree"  a  fig  tree,  for  it  is  said,  "  In  consuming  I  will 
consume  them,  there  shall  be  no  grapes  on  the  vine  nor  figs  on 
the  fig  tree,"  for  they  would  not  be  consumed  on  that  account. 
Moreover,  the  vastation  of  the  church  is  what  is  treated  of,  as  is 
clearly  evident  from  what  here  precedes  and  follows.  [5.]  In  Hosea: 

"  I  will  also  make  all  her  joy  to  cease,  her  feast,  her  new  moon,  her  sab- 
bath  And  I  will  lay  waste  her  vine  and  her  fig  tree,  whereof 

she  hath  said,  These  are  the  rewards  of  my  whoredom  ;  .  .  .  .  and  I 
will  make  them  a  forest,  and  the  wild  beast  of  the  field  shall  eat 
them  "  (ii.  11,  12). 

This  treats  of  the  churches  and  of  the  falsification  of  truth  therein. 
That  the  church  is  treated  of  is  evident  from  the  second  verse  of 
this  chapter,  where  it  is  said,  "  Plead  with  your  mother ;  for  she 
is  not  my  wife.and  I  am  not  her  husband,"  "  mother"  and  "wife'* 


892  APOCALYPSE  EXPLAINED. 

meaning  the  church.  Moreover,  the  holy  things  of  the  church, 
from  which  worship  is  performed,  and  the  worship  itself,  are  sig- 
nified by  "the  feast,  the  new  moon,  and  the  sabbath,"  which  shall 
cease ;  therefore  "  I  will  lay  waste  her  vine  and  her  fig  tree  "  sig- 
nifies that  both  spiritual  good  and  natural  good  are  to  perish. 
That  "they  will  be  made  a  forest,  and  the  wild  beast  of  the  field 
shall  eat  them  "  signifies  that  both  will  be  merely  natural,  and  that 
the  spiritual  will  be  consumed  by  falsities  and  lusts;  "forest" 
signifying  the  merely  natural,  and  "wild  beast  of  the  field"  falsi- 
ties and  lusts.  And  as  falsities  in  the  church  are  especially  fals- 
ified truths,  and  the.se  are  treated  of  in  this  chapter,  it  is  said, 
""whereof  she  hath  said,  These  are  the  rewards  of  my  whoredom," 
*' rewards  of  whoredom"  signifying  falsification.     [6.]    In  Joel: 

"A  nation  shall  come  up  upon  My  land,  strong,  and  without  number; 
its  teeth  are  the  teeth  of  a  lion,  and  it  hath  the  great  grinding  teeth 
of  a  lion.  It  hath  reduced  My  vine  to  a  waste,  and  My  fig  tree  to 
froth  ;  [in  stripping  it  hath  stripped  it  and  cast  it  away  ;]  the  branches 

thereof  are  made  white The  vine  is  withered,  and  the  fig  tree 

languisheth  ;   the  pomegranate-  tree,  the  palm  tree  also,   and   the 
apple  tree,  all  the  trees  of  the  field  are  withered"  (i.  6,  7,  12). 

This  whole  chapter  treats  of  a  devastated  church  ;  and  "  the  nation 
that  comes  up  upon  the  land,  strong  and  without  number,  having 
the  teeth  of  a  lion,  and  the  great  grinding  teeth  of  a  lion,"  does 
not  signify  any  nation  of  such  a  description,  but  direful  evil  and 
falsity  therefrom;  "the  land"  upon  which  it  comes  up  signifies 
the  church  ;  "  the  teeth  of  a  lion  "  signify  the  falsities  of  such  evil ; 
and  because  these  destroy  all  the  goods  and  truths  of  the  church, 
thev  are  called  "  the  great  grinding  teeth  of  a  lion,"  "lion"  signi- 
fying [falsity]  which  destroys.  Therefore  'it  hath  reduced  My 
vine  to  a  waste,  and  My  fig  tree  to  froth,"  signifies  that  the  church 
internal  and  external  is  thereby  vastated,  "vine"  signifying  the 
internal  church,  and  "fig  tree"  the  external,  "froth"  signifying 
where  there  is  inwardly  no  truth  ;  "  in  stripping  it  hath  stripped 
it,  and  cast  it  away,"  signifies  that  there  is  no  longer  any  good  or 
truth  that  is  not  destroyed,  "to  strip,"  that  is,  of  fruits  and  leaves, 
'  means  of  goods  and  truths,  and  "to  cast  away"  means  to  destroy 
entirely;  "the  branches  thereof  are  made  white"  signifies  that 
there  is  no  longer  anything  spiritual.  "The  pomegranate,  the 
palm,  and  the  apple,  and  all  the  trees  of  the  field,  that  are  with- 
ered," signify  kinds  of  goods  and  truths  of  the  church,  and  its 
knowledges,  which  are  consummated  by  evils  and  falsities,  "  trees 
of  the  field"'  signifying  in  general  knowledges  of  good  and  truth. 
[7.]    In  the  same, 


CHAP.   VI.,   VERSE    1 3. — N.   403[<5],  S93 

"  Be  not  afraid,  ye  beasts  of  My  fields  ;  for  the  dwelling-places  of  the 
desert  are  made  grassy,  for  the  tree  beareth  her  fruit,  the  fig  tree 
and  the  vine  shall  yield  their  strength  "  (ii.  22). 

This  treats  of  the  estabHshment  of  the  church,  therefore  "  the  beasts 
of  the  field  "  do  not  mean  beasts  of  the  field,  but  affections  for  good 
in  the  natural  man,  consequently  those  in  whom  are  such  affec- 
tions. Who  does  not  see  that  it  cannot  be  beasts  to  whom  it  is  said, 
"  Be  not  afraid,  ye  beasts  of  My  fields?"*  "  The  dwelling-places  of 
the  desert  are  made  grassy"  signifies  that  with  such  there  will  be 
knowledges  of  truth  where  there  were  none  before,  "dwelling- 
places  of  the  desert"  meaning  the  interiors  of  the  mind  of  those 
in  whom  these  did  not  exist  before,  "  grassy  "  signifying  the  in- 
crease and  multiplication  of  these  ;  "for  the  tree  beareth  her  fruit, 
the  fig  tree  and  the  vine  shall  yield  their  strength,"  signifies  that 
they  have  natural  good  and  spiritual  good,  "  strength  "  here  mean- 
ing the  produ61:ion  of  fruit.     [8.]    In  Amos: 

"  Your  many  gardens  and  your  vineyards,  and  your  fig-trees  and  your 
olive  trees,  the  palmer-worm  hath  devoured  ;  yet  have  ye  not  re- 
turned unto  Me  "  (iv.  9). 

"  Gardens  "  signify  all  things  of  the  church  that  constitute  intel- 
ligence and  wisdom;  "vineyards"  spiritual  goods  and  truths  ; 
"fig  trees"  natural  goods  and  truths;  "olive-trees"  celestial 
goods  and  truths;  "the  palmer-worm"  means  the  falsity  that 
destroys;  "the  fig  tree,"  "the  vine,"  and  "the  olive"  properly 
signify  the  church  and  the  man  of  the  church  ;  but  as  the  church 
is  a  church  and  man  is  a  man  from  goods  and  truths,  so  these 
also  are  signified  by  those  trees,  goods  by  their  fruits,  and  truths 
by  their  branches  and  leaves.     [9.]    In  Haggai: 

"  Set  your  heart  from  this  day  and  onwards Is  not  tUe  seed  yet 

in  the  barn,  even  to  the  vine  and  fig  tree,  and  the  pomegranate  and 
the  olive-tree?"  (ii.  18,  19.) 

These  words  in  the  spiritual  sense  mean  that  there  are  goods 
and  truths  yet  remaining ;  all  goods  and  truths  from  first  to  last 
are  meant  by  "  the  vine,  the  fig  tree,  the  pomegranate,  and  the 
olive  tree,"  "the  vine"  meaning  spiritual  good  and  truth  ;  "the 
fig  tree"  natural  good  and  truth  ;  "the  pomegranate"  in  gene- 
ral that  which  belongs  to  knowing  and  perceiving,  and  in  par- 
ticular, knowledges  and  perceptions  of  good  and  truth  ;  and 
"the  olive  tree"  the  perception  of  celestial  good  and  truth  ;  "the 
barn"  signifies  where  all  these  are, — either  the  church  or  the 
man  in  whom  the  church  is,  or  the  mind  of  the  man  which  is 
the  subje6l.     [10.]    In  Habakkuk : 


894  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

"The  fi^  tree  shall  not  blossom,  neither  shall  there  be  produce  on  the 
vines  ;  the  labor  of  the  olive  shall  promise  falsely,  and  the  fields 
shall  yield  no  food"  (iii.  17). 

"  The  lig  tree  shall  not  blossom  "  signifies  that  there  shall  be  no 
natural  good;  "neither  shall  there  be  produce  on  the  vines" 
signifies  that  there  shall  be  no  spiritual  good  ;  "the  labor  of  the 
olive  shall  promise  falsely"  signifies  that  there  shall  be  no  celes- 
tial good  ;  "  the  fields  shall  yield  no  food  "  signifies  that  there 
shall  be  no  spiritual  nourishment.     [II. ]    In  Moses: 

"Jehovah  God.  . .  .bringeth  thee  to  a  good  land,  a  land  of  brooks  of  wa- 
ter, of  fountains  and  depths  springing  out  of  valley  and  mountain  ; 
a  land  of  wheat  and  barley,  and  of  vine  and  fig  tree  and  pome- 
granate ;  a  land  of  oil-olive  and  honey  "  {Dent.  viii.  7,  8). 

"The  good  land"  to  which  they  shall  be  led  means  the  land  of 
Canaan,  which  signifies  the  church  ;  here,  therefore,  "vine,"  "fig 
tree,"  "pomegranate,"  and  "olive,"  have  the  same  signification 

as  above.      (The  remainder  may  be  seen  explained  before,  n.  374['^]-) 

[c]  Because  "the  land  of  Canaan"  signifies  the  church,  and 
"the  vine,"  "the  fig  tree,"  and  "the  pomegranate,"  signify  the 
internal  and  external  things  of  the  church,  so  it  came  to  pass  that 
the  explorers  of  that  land  brought  away  such  things  from  it,  re- 
specting which  it  is  thus  written  in  Moses  : 

The  explorers  of  the  land  of  Canaan  "  came  to  the  brook  Eshcol,  and 
cut  down  from  thence  a  branch  with  one  cluster  of  grapes,  which 
they  bare  upon  a  pole  between  two  ;  they  brought  also  of  the  pom- 
egranates and  of  the  figs"  {Num.  xiii.  23). 

fl2.]  Because  "the  \ine  "  and  "  the  fig  tree"  signify  such  things,. 
it  is  said  ni  the  Word  of  those  who  are  in  the  goods  and  truths  of 
the  church,  and  thus  in  safety  from  evils  and  falsities,  that  "they 
shall  sit  safely  under  their  own  vine  and  under  their  own  fig  tree, 
and  none  shall  make  afraid."    Thus  in  the  First  Book  of  Kings : 

"Judah  and  Israel  dwelt  safely,  every  man  under  his  vine  and  undei 
his  fig  tree,  from  Dan  even  to  Beersheba,  all  the  days  of  Solomon  " 
(iv.  25). 

In  ZccharJah  : 

"  I  will  remove  the  iniquity  of  this  land  in  one  day.  In  that  day.  .  .  . 
ye  shall  cry  every  man  to  his  companion,  to  the  vine  and  to  the  fig- 
tree  "  (iii.  g,  10). 

And  in  Micah: 

"  In  the  end  of  the  days  it  shall  be  that  the  mountain  of  the  house  of 
Jehovah  shall  be  established  on  the  top  of  the  mountains  ;.  .  .  .na- 
tion shall  not  lift  up  sword  against  nation,  neither  shall  they  learn 
war  any  more  ;  but  they  shall  sit  every  man  under  his  vine  and 
under  his  fig  tree  ;  and  none  shall  make  afraid  "  (iv.  i,  3,  4). 


CHAP.  VI.,  VKRSF.   1 3. — X.  403[<:].  895 

These  things  are  said  respediiig  the  Lord's  kingdom,  which  is  in 
those  in  the  heavens  and  on  the  earth  who  are  in  love  to  Him. 
The  Lord's  kingdom  is  signified  by  "the  mountain  of  Jehovah, 
which  is  established  on  the  top  of  the  mountains,"  for  "mount- 
ain of  Jehovah  "  signifies  the  Lord's  kingdom  constituted  of  those 
who  are  in  love  to  Him  ;  and  as  these  dwell  above  the  others  in 
the  heavens,  it  is  said  that  this  mountain  "shall  be  established  on 
the  top  of  the  mountains"  (see  Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  188).  And  as  such 
have  truths  inscribed  on  their  hearts,  and  therefore  do  not  dis- 
pute about  them,  it  is  said  that  "nation  shall  not  lift  up  sword 
against  nation,  neither  shall  they  learn  war  any  more,"  which 
signifies  that  in  that  kingdom  there  shall  be  no  disputation  about 
truths  (see  in  the  same  work,  n.  25,  26,  270,  271).  That  through  the  truths 
and  goods  they  possess,  they  shall  be  safe  from  evils  and  falsi- 
ties is  signified  by  "they  shall  sit  under  their  own  vine  and  un- 
der their  own  fig-tree,  and  none  shall  make  afraid."  [13.]  In 
yeremiah  : 

"  Lo,  I  will  bring  upon  you  a  nation  from  afar, ....  which  shall  eat  up  thy 
harvest  and  thy  bread  ;  and  it  shall  eat  up  thy  sons  and  thy  daugh- 
ters ;  it  shall  eat  up  thy  flock  and  thy  herd  ;  it  shall  eat  up  thy  vine 
and  thy  fig  tree  "  (v.  15,  17). 

"A  nation  from  afar  "signifies  the  evil  opposed  to  celestial  good, 
"from  afar"  signifying  apart  and  remote  from,  also  opposed 
to,  goods  and  truths  ;  "which  shall  eat  up  thy  harvest  and  thy 
bread"  signifies  that  it  will  destroy  all  truths  and  goods  by  which 
there  is  spiritual  nourishment ;  "which  shall  eat  up  thy  sons  and 
thy  daughters"  signifies  all  spiritual  affections  for  truth  and 
good;  "which  shall  eat  up  thy  flock  and  thy  herd"  signifies 
truths  and  goods  internal  and  external :  "which  shall  eat  up  thy 
vine  and  thy  fig  tree"  signifies,  thus  tlie  internal  and  the  external 
of  the  church.     [14.]    In  Hosea  : 

"  I  found  Israel  like  grapes  in  the  wilderness ;  I  saw  your  fathers  as  the 
first  ripe  in  the  fig  tree  in  its  first  season  "  (ix.  10). 

"Israel"  and  "the  fathers"  do  not  mean  here  the  fathers  of  the 
tribes  of  the  sons  of  Jacob,  but  those  who  were  of  the  Ancient 
church,  because  they  were  in  good  (see  A.c,  n.  6050,6075,  6846.  6876. 
6884,7649,8055) ;  because  these  were  in  good,  but  at  the  beginning 
in  ignorance  of  truth,  through  which,  however,  good  comes,  it  is 
said,  "  I  found  Israel  like  grapes  in  the  wilderness  ;  I  saw  )^our 
fathers  as  a  fig  tree  in  its  first  season,"  "grapes  "  signifying  spirit- 
ual good,  "wilderness"  signifying  ignorance  of  truth,  and  "the 
first  ripe  in  the  fig  tree"  signifying  natural  good  from  spiritual 
good  in  infancy.     [15.]    \x\  Lvke : 


896  APOCALYl'SK    KXI'LAINED. 

"When  these  things  bcKiii   to  coine  to  pass,  look  up,  and  lift  up  y^ui 

heads And  He  spake  a  parable  •    Behold  the  fig-tree  and  all 

the  trees  ;  when  now  they  shall  have  slitjt  tcrth  yc  see  and  shall 
know  of  your  own  selves  that  summer  is  now  neat.  So  ye  also, 
when  ye  shall  see  these  things  coming  to  pass,  know  that  the  king- 
dom of  God  is  nigh"  (xxi.  28-31  ;  Malt.  xxiv.  32  ,  Mark  xiii.  28, 
29). 

This  treats  of  the  consuiniiiation  of  the  age,  which  is  a  final  juclo- 
ment,  and  the  signs  which  j^recede  aie  enumerated,  which  are 
meant  by  "wlien  all  these  things  begin  to  come  to  pass;"  that  a 
new  church  is  then  to  begin,  which  in  its  beginning  will  be  external, 
is  signified  by  "Behold  the  fig  tree  and  all  the  trees,  when  they 
have  shot  forth."  This  parable  or  similitude  was  related  because 
"the  fig  tree"  signifies  an  external  church,  and  "trees"  signify 
knowledges  of  truth  and  good;  "the  kingdom  of  God,"  which 
then  is  near,  signifies  a  new  church  of  the  Lord  ;  for  at  the  time 
of  a  final  judgment  the  old  church  perishes  and  a  new  begins. 
[16.]    In  Luke : 

"  Every  tree  is  known  by  its  own  fruit  ;  for  from  thorns  men  do  not 
gather  figs,  nor  from  a  bramble-bush  gather  they  the  grape  "  (vi. 
44     Matt.  vii.  16) ; 

As  "  fruit"  signifies  good  of  life,  and  good  of  life  is  external  good 
from  internal,  or  natural  good  from  spiritual,  and  as  from  this 
good  man  is  known,  so  the  Lord  says,"  Every  tree  is  known  by  its 
own  fruit;  from  thorns  men  do  not  gather  figs,  nor  from  a  bram- 
ble-bush gather  they  the  grape,"  "hg  "here  meaning  the  good 
of  the  external  or  natural  man,  and  "  the  grape"  the  good  of  the 
internal  or  spiritual  man,  "  thorns  "  and  "  bramble-bush  "  mean  the 
evils  opposed  to  these  goods.  [17.]  Because  the  kings  of  Judah 
and  Israel  rejiresented  the  Lord  in  relation  to  Divine  truth,  and 
Divine  truth  with  man  endures  pain  and  distress,  as  it  were,  when 
the  life  is  not  according  to  it  and  when  it  is  not  made  good  of  life, 
but  when  it  is  made  good  of  life  it  lives,  so  this  was  signified  by 
the  following : 

By  command  of  Jehovah  they  brought  to  Hezekiah  king  of  Judah,  when 
he  was  sick,  a  lump  of  figs,  and  placed  it  as  a  plaster  upon  his  boil, 
and  so  he  lived  (2  Kings  xx,  7;  Isaiah  xxxviii.  21). 

From  all  this  it  can  be  seen  that  "the  fig-tree,"  in  the  genuine 
sense,  signifies  the  natural  man  in  respect  to  good  and  truth,  the 
fig  itself  as  a  tree  the  natural  man,  the  fig  as  a  fruit  the  good  of 
the  natural  man,  and  its  leaf  the  truth  of  that  good. 

[/!•]  [18.]  But  that  "  the  fig  tree  "  in  the  contrary  sense  signi- 
fies the  natural  man  in  iespe6l  to  evil  and  falsity,  the  fig  as  a  tree 
the  natural  man  itself,  the  figs  of  it  as  fruit,  the  evil  of  that  natural 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE  13. — N.  403[a'].  897 

.nan,  and  its  leaf  the  falsity  of  that  evil,  is  evident  from  the  fol- 
k)wing  passages.     In  yercTniah  : 

"Jehuvah  showed  me,  and  behold,  two  baskets  of  figs  set  before  the 
temple  of  Jehovah,.  . .  .  one  basket  of  very  good  figs,  as  of  fig  trees 
bearing  the  first  fruits  ;  and  the  other  basket  of  very  bad  figs,  thai 

could  not   be  eaten  for  badness Jehovah  said,  ....  As  the 

good  figs,  so  will  I  recognize  the  removal  of  Judah  ....  into  the 
land  of  the  Chaldeans  for  good  ;  and  I  will  set  Mine  eye  upon 
ihem  for  good,  and  I  will  bring  them  again  upon  this  land  ;   and 

I  will  build  them, ....  and  I  will  plant  them And  as  the  bad 

figs so  will  I  give  ....  them  that  are  left  in  this  land  ....  to  com- 
motion, and  to  evil  to  all  nations  ;  . . . .  and  I  will  send  among  them 
the  sword,  the  famine,  and  the  pestilence,  that  they  may  be  con- 
sumed "  (xxiv.  i-io) ; 

"  The  captivity  of  the  Jews  in  the  land  of  the  Chaldeans  "  means 
the  same  as  the  spiritual  captivity  or  removal  of  the  good  from 
the  evil  in  the  spiritual  world,  according  to  what  has  been  said 
above  (n.  391  [a],  392[(7],  394,  397),  namely,  that  those  who  were 
inwardly  evil,  and  yet  were  able  to  maintain  a  moral  life  exter- 
nally like  a  spiritual  life,  remained  upon  the  earth  in  the  spiritual 
world,  and  made  habitations  for  themselves  there  upon  the  higher 
places  ;  while  those  who  were  inwardly  good  were  removed  from 
them,  and  concealed  by  the  Lord  in  the  lower  earth  ;  this  was 
wliat  was  represented  bv  the  carrying  away  of  the  Jews  into  the 
land  of  the  Chaldeans,  and  by  the  continuance  of  the  rest  of  them 
in  the  land  ;  therefore  it  is  said  concerning  those  who  suffered 
themselve,s  to  be  carried  away  into  the  land  of  the  Chaldeans, 
"  I  recognize  the  removal  of  Judah  into  the  land  of  the  Chaldeans 
for  good  ;  and  1  will  set  Mine  eye  upon  them  for  good,  and  I  will 
bring  them  again  upon  this  land  :  and  I  will  build  them,  and  I 
will  plant  them  ;"'  while  of  those  that  remained  it  is  said  "I  will 
give  them  that  are  left  in  this  land  to  commotion,  and  to  evil  to 
all  nations  ;  and  I  will  send  among  them  the  sword,  the  fam- 
ine, and  the  pe.stilence.  that  they  may  be  consumed."  That 
this  is  what  was  represented  is  e\'ident  also  from  this,  that  the 
temple  of  Solomon  was  destroyed  before  they  were  carried 
away,  and  a  new  one  was  built  when  they  returned,  "temple" 
signifying  Divine  worship,  and  "a  new  temple"  worship  re- 
stored. [19.]  From  all  this  it  can  be  seen  what  is  signified  by 
"the  two  baskets  of  figs  set  before  the  temple  of  Jehovah,  in  one 
of  which  were  \ery  good  figs,  as  of  fig-trees  bearing  the  first- 
fruits,  and  in  the  other  very  bad  figs,  that  could  not  be  eaten 
for  badness,"  namely,  that  those  who  are  inwardly  good,  of  whom 
a  new  heaven  must  be  formed,  are  meant  by  "the  basket  of  good 
figs  ;"  and  those  who  are  inwardly  evil,  who  are  to  be  cast  down 


89S  APOCALYPSK    EXPLAINED. 

into  hell,  are  meant  by  "the  basket  of  bad  figs;"  wherefore  it  is 
said  of  the  latter  that  "they  could  not  be  eaten  for  badness," 
signifying  that  such  are  inwardly  evil,  while  of  the  former  it  is 
said  that  they  were  "as  fig  trees  bearing  the  first  fruits,"  signify- 
ing that  such  are  inwardly  good,  so  that  a  new  heaven  may  be 
formed  out  ol  them  ;  for  "the  fig,"  as  a  fruit,  signifies  good  of  life 
both  in  its  internal  and  its  external  lorm,  and  in  the  contrary  sense 
it  signifies  good  of  life  merely  in  its  external  form,  which  is  evil  of 
life,  because  inwardly  it  is  evil,  every  external  deriving  its  quality 
from  its  internal,  as  it  is  an  effe6i  of  it.  With  such,  evil  appears 
in  externals  as  good,  because  they  feign  good  for  the  sake  of 
the  evil  that  is  within,  in  order  to  obtain  some  end,  which  the 
seeming  good  serves  as  a  means.  The  like  is  said  of  those  who 
remained  in  the  land  of  Canaan  elsewhere  in  the  same  prophet : 

"Thus  said  Jehovah  concerning  the  king and  all  the  people  that 

dwell  in  this  city  ....  that  are  not  gone  forth  with  you  into  cap- 
tivity :  . .  . .  Behold,  I  will  send  upon  them  sword,  famine,  and  pest- 
ilence, and  I  will  make  them  like  vile  figs,  that  cannot  be  eaten  for 
badness  "  (xxix.  16,  17). 

[€•]  [20.]  That  "the  fig,"  as  a  tree,  in  the  contrary  sense 
signifies  a  merely  natural  man,  and  a  church  constituted  of 
such,  or  those  with  whom  there  is  no  natural  good  because  there 
is  no  good  within,  is  evident  in  Luke : 

Jesus  "spake  this  parable :  A  certain  man  had  a  fig  tree  planted  in  his 
vineyard  ;  he  therefore  came  seeking  fruit  thereon,  but  found  none. 
He  said  unto  the  vine-dresser,  Behold,  three  years  I  come  seeking 
fruit  on  this  fig  tree,  but  find  none  ;  cut  it  down,  why  also  doth  it 
make  the  ground  unfruitful?  But  he  answering  said.  Lord,  let  it 
alone  this  year  also,  till  I  shall  dig  about  it  and  dung  it,  if  indeed 
it  will  bear  fruit;  but  if  not,  after  that  thou  shalt  cut  it  down"  (xiii. 
6-9). 

"The  vineyard  in  which  was  the  fig  tree"  signifies  the  church, 
which  contains  also  such  as  are  in  externals  ;  for  in  the  Lord's 
church  there  is  both  an  internal  and  an  external ;  the  internal  of 
the  church  is  charity  and  the  faith  therefrom,  while  the  external 
of  the  church  is  goodness  of  life.  The  works  of  charity  and  faith, 
which  are  goodness  of  life,  belong  to  the  natural  man,  while  charity 
itself  and  faith  therefrom  belong  to  the  spiritual  man,  therefore 
"a  vineyard"  signifies  the  internal  of  the  church,  and  "a  fig- 
tree"  its  external.  With  the  Jewish  nation  there  was  only  the 
external  of  the  church,  since  it  was  in  external  representative  wor- 
ship ;  therefore  "a  fig  tree"  means  the  church  with  that  nation ; 
but  because  they  were  in  external  worship  and  in  no  internal, 


CHAP.    VI.,  VERSK    I  3. — N.   403[^J.  899 

being  inwardly  evil,  and  external  worshi])  without  internal  i.s  no 
worship,  and  with  the  evil  i.s  e\il  worship,  so  with  them  there  was 
nothing  of  natural  good.  It  is  .said  that  "for  three  years  he 
found  no  fruit  on  the  fig  tree,  and  that  he  commanded  the  \ine- 
dresser  to  cut  it  down,"  which  signifies  that  from  beginning  to 
end  there  was  no  natural  good  with  that  nation,  "three  years" 
signifying  a  whole  period,  or  the  time  from  beginning  to  end, 
and  "the  fruit  of  the  fig  tree"  signifying  natural  good  ;  by  natural 
good  is  meant  spiritual-natural  good,  that  is,  good  in  the  natural 
from  the  spiritual.  And  because  a  church  composed  of  such  as 
are  not  in  natural  good,  as  was  the  Jewish  nation,  is  not  a  church, 
it  is  also  said  "why  also  doth  it  make  the  ground  unfruitful?" 
"ground  "  meaning  the  church.  "  The  vine-dresser  begging  that 
it  should  still  be  left,  and  he  would  dig  about  it,"  signifies  that  ilu- 
nation  would  remain,  and  that  they  would  hereafter  be  instructed 
by  Christians,  in  the  midst  of  whom  they  would  be  ;  but  no  answ  er 
being  made  to  this  means  that  the  fig  tree  would  still  produce  no 
fruit,  that  is,  that  no  good  proceeding  from  anything  spiritual 
would  be  done  by  the  Jewish  nation.  [21.]  This  is  the  significa- 
tion of  "the  fig-tree  that  withered  away"  when  the  Lord  found 
no  fruit  on  it,  in  Matthew  : 

"  In  the  morning  "  Jesus  "  returning  into  the  city,  hungered.  And  seeing 
a  fig  tree  by  the  way,  He  came  to  it,  but  found  nothing  thereon  but 
leaves,  therefore  He  said  unto  it,  Let  nothing  grow  on  thee  hence- 
forward for  ever :  therefore  from  that  time  the  fig  tree  withered 
away"  ("xxi.  i8,  19;  Mark  x\.  12-14). 

Here,  too,  "  the  fig  tree  "  means  the  church  with  the  Jewish  nation. 
That  with  that  nation  there  was  no  natural  good,  but  only  truth 
falsified,  which  in  itself  is  falsity,  is  signified  by  "the  Lord  came 
to  the  fig  tree,  but  found  nothing  thereon  but  leaves,"  "the 
fruit"  which  He  did  not  find  signifying  natural  good  such  as  was 
described  above,  and  "the  leaf"  signifying  truth  falsified,  which 
in  itself  is  falsity,  for  in  the  Word  "leaf"  signifies  truth,  but  the 
leaf  of  a  tree  that  is  without  fruit  signifies  falsity,  and  with  that 
nation  truth  falsified,  because  they  had  the  Word  in  which  truths 
are,  but  falsified  them  by  application  to  themselves,  which  was  the 
source  of  their  traditions.  That  no  natural  good  from  a  spiritual 
origin,  which  is  called  spiritual-natural  good,  would  be  done  by 
that  nation  is  signified  by  the  words  that  the  Lord  spoke  respect- 
ing it,  "  Let  nothing  grow  on  thee  henceforward  for  ever  ;  there- 
fore frorn  that  time  it  withered  away"  "to  wither  away"  signify- 
ing'that  there  was  no  longer  any  good  or  any  truth.     The  Lord 


goo  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

saw  the  tig  tree  and  said  this  when  He  was  returning  into  the 
city,  and  hungered,  because  "the  city  of  Jerusalem"  signifies  the 
church,  and  "hungering,"  in  reference  to  the   Lord,  signifies 

to  desire  good   in  the  church  (as  may  be  seen  above,  n.  ^S6[/i]).      One 

who  does  not  know  the  signification  of  "fig  tree,"  and  that  this 
fig  tree  meant  the  church  with  that  nation,  has  no  other  idea 
than  that  the  Lord  did  this  in  anger  because  he  was  hungry  ;  but 
it  was  not  done  for  that  reason,  but  that  it  might  be  signified  that 
such  was  the  quality  of  the  Jewish  nation ;  for  all  the  Lord's 
miracles  involve  and  signify  such  things  as  belong  to  heaven  and 
the  church,  whence  those  miracles  were  divine  (see  ^.C,  n.  7337. 
8364,  9051  at  the  end).  [22.]  A  pei-verted  church,  or  the  man  of  the 
church  perverted  in  respedl  to  his  natural  or  external  man,  is 
also  signified  by  the  fig  tree,  in  David  : 

"  He  gave  them  hail  for  their  rain,  a  fire  of  flames  in  their  land  ;  and  He 
smote  their  vine  and  their  fig  tree  ;  He  brake  the  tree  of  their  bor- 
der "  (Psalm  cv.  32,  33). 

This  was  said  of  Egypt,  which  signifies  the  natural  man  that  is 
in  falsities  and  evils  ;  and  "vine,"  "fig  tree,"  and  "tree  of  the 
border,"  signify  all  things  of  the  church,  "vine"  the  internal  or 
spiritual  things  thereof,  "fig  tree"  the  external  or  natural  things 
thereof,  and  "tree  of  the  border"  every  thing  pertaining  to  know- 
ing and  perceiving,  "the  border"  signifying  the  outmost  in  which 
interior  things  close,  and  in  which  they  are  together,  and  "  trees ' 
signifying  knowledges  and  perceptions.  Because  all  these  things 
were  perverted  and  therefore  damned,  it  is  said  that  they  were 
"smitten  and  broken,"  which  signifies  destruction  and  damna- 
tion ;  that  this  was  done  by  falsities  of  evil  which  are  from  love 
of  the  world  is  signified  by  "  hail  for  their  rain,  a  fire  of  flames  in 
their  land,"  "rain  as  hail"  signifying  falsities  of  evil,  and  "fire 
of  flames"  love  of  the  world.     [23.]    InNaAum: 

"  All  thy  strongholds  shall  be  like  fig  trees  with  the  first  ripe  figs,  if 
they  be  shaken  they  fall  upon  the  mouth  of  the  eater  "  (iii.  12). 

This  is  said  of  "a  city  of  bloods,"  which  signifies  do(5lrine  in 
which  truths  are  falsified  and  goods  adulterated.  This  is  com- 
pared to  "fig  trees  with  the  first  ripe  figs,  if  they  be  shaken 
they  fall  upon  the  mouth  of  the  eater,"  and  this  signifies  that  the 
goods  therein  are  not  goods,  however  much  they  may  appear  to 
be  goods ;  and  that  such  are  not  received,  or  if  received  are  re- 
ceived only  in  the  memory  and  not  in  the  heart.  That  "  if  they  be 
shaken  they  fall"  signifies  that  they  are  not  goods  although  they 


CHAP.   VI.,   VERSE    I4. — N.  404.  ijOI 

appear  to  be  goods,  because  they  are  "the  first  ripe  figs;"  and 
their  falling  "  upon  the  mouth  of  the  eater  "  signifies  that  they  are 
not  received  even  in  the  memory.  That  "  the  mouth  of  the  eater  " 
signifies  non-reception  is  evident  from  appearances  in  the  spirit- 
ual world  ;  for  those  who  commit  anything  to  memory  appear  to 
receive  with  the  mouth;  so  "to  fall  upon  the  mouth"  signifies 
not  to  receive  even  in  the  memory  but  only  to  hear,  but  if  they 
do  receive,  that  it  is  only  in  the  memory  and  not  in  the  heart. 
"  Fig  trees  with  their  first  ripe  figs"  may  also  mean  genuine 
goods,  of  which  the  same  is  true  as  of  those  who  are  in  falsities 
of  evil. 

404.  [Verse  i^.]  "And  the  heaven  withdrew  as  a  book  rolled 
up"  signifies  that  the  spiritual  man  became  closed  up. — This  is 
evident  from  the  signification  of  "  heaven,"  as  meaning  the  church 
in  general  and  in  particular  ;  for  the  church  is  the  heaven  of  the 
Lord  on  the  earth  ;  moreover,  the  church  makes  one  with  heaven 
b}'  conjunftion  ;  therefore  when  "heaven  and  earth"  are  men- 
tioned in  the  Word,  the'  church  internal  and  external  is  meant,  for 
the  internal  of  men  of  the  church  is  heaven  with  them,  and  their 
external  is  the  world  with  them  ;  and  as  "heaven  and  earth  "  sig- 
nify the  church  internal  and  external,  so  they  signify  the  internal 
and  external  man,  or  the  spiritual  and  natural  man  ;  for  as  man 
in  whom  is  the  good  of  love  and  of  faith  is  a  church,  so  the  church 
has  existence  from  men  in  whom  the  church  is.  This  makes 
clear  why  it  is  that  "heaven "  here  means  the  internal  or  spiritual 
man.  It  is  said  the  spiritual  man,  by  which  is  meant  the  spirit- 
ual mind,  which  is  the  higher  or  inner  mind  of  man,  while  the 
lower  or  outer  mind  is  called  the  natural  man.  The  abo\'e  is  evi- 
dent also  from  the  signification  of  "  withdrew  as  a  book  rolled 
up,"  as  meaning  that  it  became  closed  up  ;  for  the  spiritual  mind, 
which  is,  as  was  said,  the  higher  or  inner  mind  with  man,  is  opened 
by  truths  applied  to  life,  thus  by  goods,  but  it  is  closed  up  by 
talsities  applied  to  life,  thus  by  evils  ;  and  the  closing  up  is  as  the 
rolling  up  of  the  scroll  of  a  book.  That  this  is  so  was  made 
very  clear  by  the  appearances  in  the  spiritual  world  when  the  last 
judgment  was  accomplished  ;  for  the  mountains  and  the  hills 
there  then  appeared  sometimes  to  be  rolled  up  as  the  scroll  of 
a  book  is  rolled  up,  and  those  that  were  upon  them  were  then 
rolled  down  into  hell.  The  cause  of  this  appearance  was  this  : 
that  the  interiors  of  their  minds,  through  which  somewhat  of  light 
from  heaven  had  before  flowed  in,  were  then  closed  up.  What 
takes  place  in  general  with  many,  takes  place  with  every  one  in 


902  APot  Ai.\  i'>K  i:xri,AiNi:i). 

particular  of  a  like  character,  for  in  the  spiritual  world  such  as 
the  general  is,  such  is  the  particular  (see  Heaven  and  Jh/i,  n.  73).  By 
"book"  is  meant  a  scroll,  because  in  ancient  times  there  were 
no  types  and  thus  no  books  like  those  at  the  present  day,  but 
there  were  scrolls  of  parchments  ;  so  "  books"  in  the  Apocalypse 
mean  scrolls,  and  "  heaven  withdrew  as  a  book  rolled  up  "  means 
as  a  scroll  rolled  up  ;  the  same  as  in  Isaiah  : 

"  All  the  host  of  the  heavens  shall  waste  away,  and  the  heavens  shall 
be  rolled  up  as  a  book"  (xxxiv.  4). 

4.05[«].  "And  every  mountain  and  is/and  were  moved  out 
of  their  places  "  signifies  that  every  good  of  love  and  every  truth 
of  faith  perislied. — This  is  evident  from  the  signification  of  "  a 
mountain,"  as  meaning  good  of  lo\e  to  the  Lord  (of  which  pres- 
ently) ;  from  the  signification  of"  island  "  as  meaning  truth  of  faith 
(of  which  in  the  next  article) ;  and  from  the  signification  of  "to  be 
moved  out  ol  their  places,"  and  meaning  to  be  taken  away  and  to 
perish,  since  good  of  love  and  truth  of  faith  are  meant,  for  when 
these  are  mo\'ed  out  of  their  places,  evils  and  falsities  take  their 
place,  and  through  evils  and  falsities  goods  and  truths  perish. 
"  Mountain  "  signifies  good  of  love,  because  in  heaven  those  who 
are  in  the  good  of  love  to  the  Lord  dwell  upon  mountains,  and 
those  who  are  in  charity  towards  the  neighbor  dwell  upon  hills  ; 
or  what  is  the  same,  those  who  are  of  the  Lord's  celestial  kingdom 
dwell  upon  mountains,  and  those  who  are  of  His  spiritual  king- 
dom dwell  upon  hills  ;  and  the  celestial  kingdom  is  distinguished 
"from  the  spiritual  kingdom  in  this,  that  those  who  are  of  the 
celestial  kingdom  are  in  love  to  the  Lord,  and  those  who  are  of 
the  spiritual  kingdom  are  in  charity  towards  the  neighbor  (but  of  the 

latter  and  the  former,  see  Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  20-28).  This  is  why  "  mount- 
ain" signifies  good  of  love  to  the  Lord.  [2.]  Good  of  love  to 
the  Lord  is  meant  in  an  abstract  sense  by  "mountain,"  because 
all  things  in  the  internal  sense  of  the  Word  are  spiritual,  and  spir- 
itual things  must  be  understood  in  a  sense  abstra6led  from  per- 
sons and  places  ;  consequently,  because  angels  are  spiritual  they 
think  and  speak  abstra6iedly  from  these,  and  thereby  have  intel- 
ligence and  wisdom  ;  for  an  idea  of  persons  and  places  limits  the 
thought,  since  it  confines  it  to  persons  and  places,  and  thus  limits 
it.  This  idea  of  thought  is  proper  to  the  natural,  while  an  idea 
abstracted  from  persons  and  places  extends  itself  into  heaven  in 
every  dire6lion,  and  is  no  otherwise  limited  than  the  sight  of  the 
eye  is  limited  when  it  looks  up  into  the  sky  without  intervening 
.obje6ts  ;  such  an  idea  is  proper  to  the  spiritual.  This  is  why  "  a 
mountain"  in  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word  signifies  good  of 


CHAT.    VI.,   VERSE    I4. — N.   405[<^].  903 

love.  It  i.s  the  same  with  the  signification  of  "'the  earth,"  as 
meaning  the  church  ;  for  thought  abstracted  from  places,  and 
from  nations  and  peoples  upon  the  earth,  is  thought  respeding 
the  church  there  or  with  these;  this,  therefore,  is  signified  by 
'•  earth"  in  the  Word.  It  is  the  same  with  the  other  things  that 
are  mentioned  in  the  natural  sense  of  the  Word,  as  with  hills, 
rocks,  valleys,  rivers,  seas,  cities,  houses,  gardens,  woods,  and 
other  things. 

[6.]  [3.]  That  "mountain"  signifies  love  to  the  Lord,  and 
thus  all  good  that  is  from  that,  which  is  called  celestial  good,  and 
in  the  contrary  sense  signifies  love  of  self,  and  thus  all  the  evil 
that  is  from  that,  is  evident  from  the  following  passages  in  the 
Word.     In  Amos: 

"Dispose  thyself  towards  thy  God,  O  Israel;  for  lo,  He  is  the  Former 
of  the  mountains,  and  the  Creator  of  the  spirit,  and  declareth  unto 
man  what  is  his  thought "  (iv.  12,  13). 

God  is  here  called  "the  Former  of  the  mountains"  because 
"mountains"  signify  the  goods  of  love,  and  "the  Creator  of  the 
spirit"  because  "spirit"  signifies  life  from  such  goods  ;  and  be- 
cause through  these  He  gives  intelligence  to  man  it  is  added, 
"and  declareth  unto  man  what  is  his  thought,"  for  the  intelli- 
gence that  man  has  is  of  his  thought,  which  flows  in  from  the 
Lord  through  the  good  of  love  into  his  life,  so  "to  declare"  here 
means  to  flow  in.     [4.]    In  David  : 

God  "who  setteth  fast  the  mountains  by  His  strength  ;  He  is  girded 
with  power  "  {Psalm  Ixv.  6). 

Here,  too, "  mountains  "  signify  the  goods  of  love  ;  these  the  Lord 
"setteth  fast"  m  heaven  and  in  the  church  through  His  Divine 
truth,  which  has  all  power,  therefore  it  is  said  "  He  setteth  fast  the 
mountains  by  His  strength  ;  He  is  girded  with  power."  In  the 
Word  "God's  strength"  signifies  Divine  truth;  and  "power"  in 
reference  to  the  Lord  signifies  all  power,  that  is,  omnipotence. 

(That  all  power  is  in  the  Divine  truth  that  goes  forth  from  the  Lord  may  be  seen  in 
Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  228-233  I  ^"d  above,  n.  209,  333  ;  and  that  power  in  refer- 
ence to  the  Lord  is  omnipotence,  see  above,  n.  338.)      [5.]    In  the  same, 

"  I  lift  up  mine  eyes  to  the  mountains,  whence  cometh  help  "  {Psalm 
cxxi.  i). 

"  Mountains"  here  mean  the  heavens  ;  and  as  in  the  heavens  diose 
who  are  in  the  goods  of  love  and  charity  dwell  upon  mountains 
and  hills,  as  was  said  above,  and  the  Lord  is  in  these  goods, 
"to  lift  up  the  eyes  to  the  mountains"  means  to  the  Lord,  from 
whom  is  all  help.  When  "  mountains,"  in  the  plural,  are  men- 
tioned, both  mountains  and  hills  are  meant,  consequently  both 


904  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

the  fjood  of  love  to  the  Lord  and  the  good  of  charity  towards 
the  neighbor.      [6.]    \n  Isaiah  ; 

"There  shall  be  upon  on  every  high  mountain  and  upon  every  lofty 
hill  brooks,  streams  of  waters,  in  the  day  of  the  great  slaughter, 
when  the  towers  shall  fall"  (xxx.  25). 

The  last- judgment,  which  is  here  treated  of,  is  meant  by  "the  day 
of  great  slaugiiter,  when  the  towers  shall  fall,"  "great  slaugh- 
ter" meaning  the  destruction  of  the  evil,  "the  towers"  which 
shall  fall,  the  falsities  of  doctrine  that  are  from  love  of  self  and 
the  world.  That  this  is  what  "towers"  signify  is  from  appear- 
ances in  the  spiritual  world,  for  those  who  seek  to  rule  by  such 
things  as  pertain  to  the  church  build  towers  for  themselves  in 
high  places  {see  Lasi  yud^me?t/,  n.  s6,  s^)-  That  such  as  are  then  in 
love  to  the  Lord  and  in  charity  towards  the  neighbor  are  raised 
up  into  heaven  and  imbued  with  intelligence  and  wisdom,  is 
meant  by  "there  shall  be  upon  every  high  mountain  and  upon 
every  lofty  hill  brooks,  streams  of  waters,"  "high  mountain" 
signifying  where  those  are  who  are  in  love  to  the  Lord,  and 
"lofty  hill"  where  those  are  who  are  in  charity  towards  the  neigh- 
bor, "brooks"  wisdom,  and  "streams  of  waters"  intelligence,  for 
"waters"  mean  truths,  from  which  are  intelligence  and  wisdom. 
[7.]    In  y^oe/: 

"  It  shall  come  to  pass  in  that  day,  that  the  mountains  shall  drop  down 
new  wine,  and  the  hills  shall  flow  with  milk,  and  all  the  streams  of 
Judah  shall  flow  with  waters  "  (iii.  18). 

This  treats  of  the  Lord's  coming  and  of  the  new  heaven  and  new 
earth  at  that  time;  "the  mountains  shall  drop  down  new  wine" 
means  that  all  truth  shall  be  from  good  of  love  to  the  Lord  ;  "  the 
hills  shall  flow  with  milk"  means  that  there  shall  be  spiritual  life 
from  good  of  charity  towards  the  neighbor  ;  and  "  all  the  streams 
of  Judah  shall  flow  with  waters"  means  that  there  shall  be  truths 
from  the  particulars  of  the  Word,  through  which  there  is  intelli- 
gence. (But  these  things  maybe  seen  more  fully  explained  above,  n.  376[^].) 
[8.]    In  Nahum: 

"  Behold  upon  the  mountains  the  feet  of  him  that  proclaimeth  good  tid- 
ings, that  [publisheth  peace]  "  (i.  15). 

In  Isaiah: 

"  How  joyous  [upon  the  mountains]  are  the  feet  of  him  that  proclaimeth 
good  tidings,  that  maketh  peace  to  be  heard . . . . ;  that  saith  unto 
Zion,  Thy  King  reigneth  "  (Hi.  7). 

In  the  same, 

"  O  Zion,  that  proclaimest  good  tidings,  get  thee  up  into  the  high  mount- 
ain  ;  O  Jerusalem,  that  proclaimest  good  tidings,  lift  up  thy  voice 
with  strength  "  (xl.  9). 


CHAP.   VI.,   VERSE    I4. — .V.   405[/5].  905 

This  is  said  of  the  Lord's  coming,  and  of  the  sahation  at  that  time 
of  those  who  are  in  the  good  of  love  to  Him,  and  thus  in  truths  of 
do6frine  from  the  Word  ;  and  as  the  sah^ation  of  these  is  treated  of, 
it  is  said,  "  Behold  upon  the  mountains  the  feet  of  him  that  publish- 
eth  peace,"  and  "O  Zion,  that  proclaimest  good  tidings,  get  thee 
up  into  the  high  mountain,"  "  to  publish  peace  "signifying  to  preach 
the  Lord's  coming,  for  "peace"  in  the  highest  sense  signifies  the 
Lord,  and  in  the  internal  sense  every  good  and  truth  that  i»  from 
the  Lord  (see  above,  n.  365) ;  and  "  O  Zion,  that  proclaimest  good 
tidings,"  means  a  church  that  is  in  the  good  of  love  to  the  Lord  ; 
and  "O  Jerusalem,  that  proclaimest  good  tidings,"  a  church  that 
is  thus  in  truths  of  docftrine  from  the  Word.     [9.]    In  Isaiah: 

"  I  will  make  all  My  mountains  for  a  way,  and  My  highways  shall  be 

exalted Sing  O  heavens,  and  rejoice  O  earth,  and  resound 

with  singing  O  mountains  ;  for  Jehovah  hath  comforted  His  peo- 
ple" (xlix.  II,  13). 

"Mountains,"  in  the  plural,  mean  both  mountains  and  hills,  thus 
both  good  of  love  and  good  of  charity.  "  Mountains  and  hills 
shall  be  made  for  a  way,  and  highways  shall  be  exalted,"  signifies 
that  those  who  are  in  these  goods  shall  be  in  genuine  truths,  "to 
be  made  for  a  way"  signifying  to  be  in  truths,  and  "highways 
being  exalted"  signifying  to  be  in  genuine  truths  ;  for  "ways  and 
highways"  signify  truths,  which  are  said  to  be  exalted  by  good, 
and  the  truths  that  are  from  good  are  genuine  truths.  Their 
joy  of  heart  on  this  account  is  signified  by  "Sing  O  heavens,  re- 
joice O  earth,"  internal  joy  by  "Sing  O  heavens,"  and  external 
joy  by  "rejoice  O  earth."  Confessions  from  joy  originating  in  the 
good  of  love  are  signified  by  "resound  with  singing  O  mountains;" 
that  this  is  on  account  of  reformation  and  regeneration  is  signified 
by  "  for  Jehovah  hath  comforted  His  people."  Evidently  mount- 
ains in  the  world  are  not  here  meant ;  for  why  should  mountains 
be  made  for  a  way,  and  highways  be  exalted,  and  mountains  re- 
sound with  singing  ?     [lO.]    In  the  same, 

"Sing  ye  heavens,.  .  .  .shout  ye  lower  parts  of  the  earth,  resound  with 
singing  ye  mountains,  O  forest  and  every  tree  therein  ;  for  Jeho- 
vah hath  redeemed  Jacob,  and  hath  shown  Himself  glorious  in  Is- 
rael" (xliv.  23). 

"Sing  ye  heavens,  shout  ye  lower  parts  of  the  earth,  resound 
with  singing  ye  mountains,"  has  the  same  signification  as  just 
above;  but  here  "mountains"  signify  the  goods  of  charity; 
therefore  it  is  also  said,  "  O  forest  and  every  tree  therein,"  for  "a 
forest"  means  the  external  or  natural  man  in  respedl  to  all  things 
thereof,  and  "every  tree  "  means  the  knowing  faculty  therein  {cogni- 


906  AI'OCALYPSR    EXPLAINED. 

iivum  ei  scieniificum);  the  reformation  ot  these  is  sij^nihed  bv  "  lehovah 
hath  redeemed  Jacob,  and  hatli  shown  Himself  t^lorioiis  in  Israel ;" 
"Jacob  and  Israel"  meaning  the  church  external  and  internal; 
thus  the  external  and  internal  in  those  in  whom  the  church  is. 
[II.]    In  the  same, 

"The  mountains  and  hills  shall  resound. ..  .with  singing,  and  all  the 
trees  of  the  field  shall  clap  their  hands"  (Iv.  12). 

In  David  : 

"  Praise  Jehovah mountains  and  hills,  tree  of  fruit,  and  all  cedars" 

{Psalm  cxlviii.  7,  g). 

This  describes  joy  of  heart  from  good  of  love  and  charity  ;  and 
"  mountains,"  "hills,"  "trees,"  "cedars,"  are  said  "to  resound  with 
singing,"  "to  clap  their  hands,"  and  "to  praise,"  because  these 
signify  the  goods  and  truths  that  cause  joys  in  man  ;  for  man  does 
not  rejoice  from  himself,  but  from  the  goods  and  truths  that  are 
in  him  ;  these  rejoice  because  they  make  joy  for  man.  [12.]  In 
Isaiah  : 

"  The  desert  and  its  cities  shall  lift  up  their  voice,  and  the  villages  that 
Arabia  doth  inhabit ;  the  inhabitants  of  the  rock  shall  sing,  they 
shall  shout  from  the  top  of  the  mountains"  (xlii.  II). 

"  Desert  "  signifies  obscurity  of  truth  ;  "  its  cities  "  signify  do6lrin- 
als,  "villages"  natural  knowledges  (cognUiones  et  scientifica),  "Ara- 
bia" the  natural  man,  for  "an  Arabian  in  the  wilderness"  means 
the  natural  man  ;  "inhabitants  of  the  rock"  signify  the  goods  of 
faith,  or  those  who  are  in  goods  of  faith  ;  "  top  of  the  mountains  " 
signifies  good  of  love  to  the  Lord.  This  makes  clear  what  the 
particulars  signify  in  their  order,  namely,  confession  and  joyful 
worship  from  good  of  love  in  such  things  as  are  mentioned ;  for 
"  to  shout  from  the  top  of  the  mountains  "  means  to  worship  from 
the  good  of  love. 

[c]    [13.]  In  David  : 

"  A  mountain  of  God  is  the  mountain  of  Bashan  ;  a  mountain  of  hills 
is  the  mountain  of  Bashaa ;  why  leap  ye,  ye  mountains,  ye  hills  of 
the  mountain  ?  God  desireth  to  dwell  in  it ;  yea,  Jehovah  will  dwell 
for  ever"  {Psalm  Ixviii.  15,  16). 

"The  mountain  of  Bashan  "  signifies  voluntary  good,  such  as  exists 
in  those  who  are  in  the  externals  of  the  church ;  for  Bashan  was 
a  region  beyond  Jordan,  which  was  given  as  an  inheritance  to 
the  half  tribe  of  Manasseh,  as  may  be  seen  in  yoshua  (xiii.  29-32)  ; 
and  "Manasseh"  signifies  the  voluntary  good  of  the  external  or 
natural  man.     This  voluntary  good  is  the  same  as  the  good  of 


CHAP.  Vr.,  VERSE    1 4. — N.  405[<:].  907 

love  in  the  external  man,  for  all  good  of  love  is  of  the  will,  and 
all  truth  therefrom  is  of  the  understanding  ;  therefore  "  Ephraim," 
his  brother,  signifies  the  intelledual  truth  of  that  good.  Because 
"the  mountain  of  Bashan"  signifies  that  good,  "the  hills"  oi 
that  mountain  signify  goods  in  ad.  Becau.se  it  is  the  will  that 
a<5ts — for  every  activity  of  the  mind  and  body  is  from  the  will,  as 
every  adivity  of  thought  and  speech  is  from  the  understanding — 
the  joy  arising  from  the  good  of  love  is  described  and  meant  by 
"skipping"  and  "leaping;"  this  makes  clear  what  is  signified  by 
"  a  mountain  of  God  is  the  mountain  of  Bashan  ;  a  mountain  of 
hills  is  the  mountain  of  Bashan  ;  why  leap  ye,  ye  mountains,  ye 
hills  of  the  mountain?"  Because  the  Lord  dwells  in  man  in  his 
voluntary  good,  from  which  are  goods  in  a6l,  it  is  said,  "  God  de- 
sireth  to  dwell  in  it ;  yea,  Jehovah  will  dwell  for  ever."  [14.]  In 
the  same, 

"Judah  became  the  sanduary  of  Jehovah[,  and  Israel  His  domain]. 
The  sea  saw  it  and  fled  ;  the  Jordan  turned  itself  back.  The  mount- 
ains leaped  like  rams,  the  hills  like  the  sons  of  the  flock.  What  to 
thee,  O  sea,  that  thou  fleest?  O  Jordan,  that  thou  turnest  back? 
ye  mountains,  that  ye  leap  like  rams  ;  ye  hills,  like  sons  of  the 
flock  ?  Before  the  Lord  thou  art  in  travail,  O  earth,  before  the 
God  of  Jacob ;  who  turned  the  rock  into  a  pool  of  waters,  the  flint 
into  a  fountain  of  waters  "  {Psalm  cxiv.  2-8). 

This  describes  the  departure  of  the  sons  of  Israel  out  of  Egypt ; 
and  yet  without  explanation  by  the  internal  sense  no  one  can 
know  what  this  signifies,  as  that  "the  mountains  then  leaped  like 
rams,  and  the  hills  like  the  sons  of  the  flock,"  likewise  what  is 
meant  by  "the  sea  saw  it  and  fled,  and  the  Jordan  turned  itself 
back,"  it  shall  therefore  be  explained.  The  establishment  of  the 
church,  or  the  regeneration  of  men  of  the  church,  is  here  meant 
in  the  internal  sense,  for  the  church  that  was  to  be  estab- 
lished is  signified  by  the  sons  of  Israel,  its  establishment  by  their 
departure,  the  shaking  ofif  of  evils  by  the  passage  through  the 
sea  of  Suph,  which  is  said  "  to  have  fled,"  and  introdu6lion  into 
the  church  by  the  crossing  of  the  Jordan,  which  is  said  to  have 
"turned  itself  back."  But  for  the  particulars  :  "Judah  became  a 
sandluary,  and  Israel  a  domain,"  signifies  that  good  of  love  to  the 
Lord  is  the  very  holiness  of  heaven  and  the  church,  and  that 
truth  from  that  good  is  that  by  which  there  is  government;  for 
"Judah"  signifies  celestial  good,  which  is  the  good  of  love  to  the 
Lord;  "san6luary  "  the  very  holiness  of  heaven  and  the  church  ; 
"  Israel "  spiritual  good,  which  is  truth  from  that  good,  b\-  which 
there  is  government,  for  all  government  pertaining  to  the  Lord 
is  a  government  of  Divine  truth  going  forth  from  Divine  good. 


90S  APOCALYPSE    EXTLAINKI  i. 

•'  Tlie  sea  saw  it  and  fled,  the  Jordan  turned  itsell'  back,"  signifies 
that  when  evils  and  falsities  which  are  in  the  natural  man  had 
been  shaken  oft",  true  knowledges  {sciendjica)  and  knowledges  \cog- 
nitiones)  of  truth  and  good  took  their  place  ;  "  the  mountains  leaped 
like  rams,  the  hills  hke  sons  of  the  flock,"  signifies  that  celestial 
good,  which  is  good  of  lo\e,  and  spiritual  good,  which  is  truth 
from  that  good,  do  good  a6ls  or  come  into  efte<5l  with  joy, 
"mountains"  signifying  good  of  love,  "hills"  goods  of  charity, 
which  in  their  essence  are  truths  from  that  good  ;  and  "to  leap," 
because  it  is  predicated  of  these,  signifies  to  do  good  a6ls  with 
joy.  It  is  said  "like  rams,"  and  "like  sons  of  the  flock,"  be- 
cause "rams"  signify  goods  of  charity,  and  "sons  of  the  flock" 
truths  therefrom.  The  establishment  of  the  church  by  these, 
that  is,  the  regeneration  of  men  of  the  church,  is  signified  by, 
"before  the  Lord  thou  art  in  travail,  O  earth,  before  the  God  of 
Jacob  ;  who  turned  the  rock  into  a  pool  of  waters,  and  the  flint 
into  a  fountain  of  waters,"  "earth  "  meaning  the  church  ;  and  this 
is  said  "  to  be  in  travail"  when  it  is  established,  or  when  the  man 
of  the  church  is  born  anew;  it  is  said  "before  the  Lord"  and 
"  before  the  God  of  Jacob,"  because  where  the  good  of  love  is 
treated  of  in  the  Word  the  Lord  is  called  "  the  Lord  ;"  and  when 
goods  in  3.S.  are  treated  of  He  is  called  "  the  God  of  Jacob." 
Regeneration  by  truths  from  goods  is  signified  by  "  He  turned  the 
rock  into  a  pool  of  waters,  and  the  flint  into  a  fountain  of  waters," 
"  pool  of  waters"  signifying  knowledges  of  truth,  and  "  fountain  of 
waters  "  the  Word  from  which  these  are,  and  "rock"  the  natural 
man  in  respe6l  to  truth  before  reformation,  and  "flint"  the  natu- 
ral man  in  respect  to  good  before  reformation.    fl5.]  In  the  same. 

"  Thou  hast  caused  a  vine  to  go  forth  out  of  Egypt ;  Thou  hast  cast  out 

the  nations  and  planted  it The  mountains  were  covered  by 

its  shadow,  and  the  cedars  of  God  by  its  branches  "  {Psalm  Ixxx. 
8,  lo). 

"A  vine  out  of  Egypt"  signifies  a  spiritual  church  which  has  its 
beginning  with  man  by  means  of  knowledges  (scientifica  et  cognitiones) 
in  the  natural  man,  "vine"  meaning  a  spiritual  church,  and 
"  Egypt"  the  knowing  faculty  (scientificutn)  which  is  in  the  natural 
man.  "Thou  hast  cast  out  the  nations,  and  planted  it,"  signifies 
that  when  evils  had  been  cast  out  therefrom  the  church  was  es- 
tablished, "nations"  meaning  evils,  and  "to  plant  a  vine"  mean- 
ing to  establish  a  spiritual  church.  "  The  mountains  were  covered 
by  its  shadow,  and  the  cedars  of  God  by  its  branches,"  signifies  that 
the  whole  church  is  from  spiritual  goods  and  truths,  "mountains" 
meaning  spiritual  goods,  and  "cedars  of  God"  spiritual  truths. 
Evidently  the  bringing  forth  of  the  sons  of  Israel  out  of  Egypt 


CHAP.    VI.,  VERSE    1 4. — \.  403(/].  909 

and  their  introdudlion  into  the  land  of  Canaan,  from  which  the 
nations  were  expelled,  is  what  is  meant  by  these  wortis  ;  and  yet 
the  same  words,  in  the  internal  sense,  mean  such  things  as  have 
been  explained  ;  nor  was  anything  else  represented  and  signified 
by  the  introclu(5lion  of  the  sons  of  Israel  into  the  land  of  Canaan, 
and  by  the  expulsion  of  the  nations  from  it ;  for  all  the  historical 
parts  of  the  Word,  as  well  as  its  prophetical  parts,  involve  spirit- 
ual things.      [16.]    \n  Isaiah: 

"  As  to  all  mountains  that  shall  be  weeded  with  the  hoe,  there  shall  not 
come  thither  the  fear  of  briars  and  brambles  ;  but  there  shall  be 
the  sending  forth  of  the  ox  and  the  treading  of  the  sheep  "  (vii, 

25)- 

"Mountains  that  shall  be  weeded  with  the  hoe"  mean  those  who 

do  what  is  good  from  a  love  of  good.  (What  the  remainder  signifies  see 
above,  n.  304[ir],  where  it  is  explained.)      In  the  same, 

"  I  will  bring  forth  a  seed  out  of  Jacob,  and  out  of  Judah  an  inheritor 
of  my  mountains,  that  My  chosen  may  possess  it  and  My  servants 
dwell  there  "  (Ixv.  9). 

"Jacob"  and  "Judah"  signify  the  church,  "Jacob"  the  external 
church,  which  is  in  knowledges  of  good  and  truth  "  and  "Judah  " 
the  [internal]  church  which  is  in  the  good  of  love  to  the  Lord  ; 
therefore  "a  seed  out  of  Jacob"  signifies  knowledges  of  good 
and  truth,  and  thus  such  as  are  in  these  ;  and  "  the  mountains  " 
whose  inheritor  shall  be  out  of  Judah,  signify  good  of  love  to  the 
Lord,  and  thus  such  as  are  in  it;  "the  chosen"  who  shall  possess 
the  mountain,  signify  those  who  are  in  good,  and  "the  servants" 
those  who  are  in  truths  from  good.     [17.]    In  yeremiah  : 

"  I  will  bring  "  the  sons  of  Israel  "  again  upon  their  land Behold, 

I  will  send  to  many  fishers,  who  shall  fish  them  ;  and  I  will  send 
to  many  hunters,  who  shall  hunt  them  upon  every  mountain  and 
upon  every  hill  and  out  of  the  holes  of  the  rocks  "  (xvi.  15,  16). 

This  treats  of  the  establishment  of  a  new  church,  which  was  re- 
presented and  signified  by  the  bringing  back  of  the  Jews  from 
captivit)^  out  of  the  land  of  Babylon  into  the  land  of  Canaan.  He 
who  does  not  know  what  is  signified  by  "  fishing  and  hunting," 
by  "mountain,"  "hill,"  and  "holes  of  the  rocks,"  can  gather  no- 
thing from  these  words  that  he  can  comprehend.  That  a  church 
was  to  be  established  from  those  who  are  in  natural  good  and  in 
spiritual  good  is  meant  by  "  I  will  send  fishers  who  shall  fish  them, 
and  hunters  who  shall  hunt  them."  To  gather  together  those 
who  are  in  natural  good  is  meant  by  "sending  fishers  who  shall 
fish  them  ;"  and  to  gather  together  those  who  are  in  spiritual 
good  is  meant  by  "  sending  hunters  who  shall  hunt  them  ;"  be- 
cause such  are  meant  it  is  added,  "  upon  every  mountain  and 


9IO  APOCALYPSE    RXPIAI  NHIJ. 

upon  every  nill,  and  out  of  the  lioles  ol  the  rock.->,"  tho>c  "  upon 
a  mountain"  meaning  those  who  are  in  good  of  love,"  those  upon 
a  hill"  those  who  are  in  good  of  charity  ;  and  "those  out  of  the 
holes  of  the  rocks"  those  who  are  in  obscurities  respecting  truth. 
[18.]    In  Ezekiel: 

"Ye  mountains  of  Israel,  ye  shall  shoot  forth  your  branch,  and  yield 
yoUr  fruit  to  My  people  Israel,  when  they  draw  near  to  come  " 
(xxxvi.  8). 

"Mountains  of  Israel"  signify  goods  of  charity  ;  that  from  these 
are  truths  of  faith  and  goods  of  life,  is  signified  by  "ye  shall  shoot 
forth  your  branch,  and  yield  your  fruit ;"  "  branch  "  meaning  truth 
of  faith,  and  "fruit"  good  of  life.    [19.]    In  Avios  : 

"  Behold,  the  days  come, ....  that  the  ploughman  shall  overtake  the 
reaper,  and  the  treader  of  grapes  him  that  soweth  ;  and  the  mount- 
ains shall  drop  new  wine,  and  all  the  hills  shall  melt;  for  I  will 
bring  again  the  captivity  of  My  people"  (ix.  13,  14). 

What  these  words  signify  may  be  seen  above  (n.  376[iJ]),  where 

they  are  explained.     "The  mountains"  are  said  "to  drop  new 

wine,"  and  "the  hills  to  melt,"  because  "mountains"  signify  good 

of  love  to  the  Lord,  and  "hills"  good  of  charity  towards  the 

neighbor,  and  "  new  wine"  truths  ;  therefore  these  words  signify 

that  from  these  two  goods  they  shall  have  truths  in  abundance, 

for  the  bringing  back  of  the  people  from  captivity,  about  which 

this  is  said,  signifies  the  establishment  of  a  new  church. 

[«I.]    [20.1   In  David  : 

Jehovah,  "  Thy  righteousness  is  like  the  mountains  of  God  ;  Thy  judg- 
ments like  a  great  deep  "  {Psalm  xxxvi.  6). 

Because  "  righteousness,"  in  the  Word,  is  predicated  of  good,  and 
"judgment"  of  truth,  it  is  said  that  "the  righteousness  of  Jeho- 
vah is  like  the  mountains  of  God,  and  His  j'udgments  like  a  great 
deep,"  "mountains  of  God"  signifying  good  of  charity,  and 
"deep"  truths  in  general,  which  are  called  truths  of  faith.     (That 

"  righteousness"  is  predicated  of  good,  and  "judgment"  of  truth,  see  A.C.,  n.  2235, 

9857.)     [21.]    In  the  same, 

Jehovah  "hath  founded  the  earth  upon  its  foundations  ;  . . . .  Thou  hast 
covered  it  with  the  deep  as  with  a  garment ;  the  waters  stand  above 
the  mountains.  At  Thy  rebuke  they  flee  ;  at  the  voice  of  Thy 
thunder  they  haste  away.  The  mountains  arise,  the  valleys  sink 
down  unto  the  place  which  Thou  hast  founded  for  them.  Thou 
hast  set  a  bound,  they  pass  it  not ;  they  return  not  again  to  cover 
the  earth.  He  sendeth  forth  springs  into  the  streams,  they  run  be- 
tween the  mountains He  watereth  the  mountains  from  His 

chambers ;    the  earth   is   satisfied  with   the   fruit  of   Thy  works  " 
{Psalm  civ.  5-10,  13). 

This,  understood  in  the  spiritual  sense,  describes  the  process  of 
reseneration,  or  of  the  formation  of  the  church  with  man;  and 


rHAP.  VI.,  VERSE    I4. — N.  405[</].  9II 

"  He  hath  founded  the  earth  upon  its  foundations"  signifies  the 
church  in  man  with  its  boundaries  and  closings;  "Thou  hast 
covered  it  with  the  deep  as  with  a  garment"  signifies  with  know- 
ledges {scientifica)  in  the  natural  man,  by  which  knowledges  the  in- 
teriors of  the  natural  man,  where  the  spiritual  things  of  the  church 
have  their  seat,  are  encompassed,  "  deep  "  signifying  knowledges 
in  general,  and  "garment"  true  knowledges  encircling  and  in- 
vesting. "  The  waters  stand  above  the  mountains  "  signifies  fals- 
ities above  the  delights  of  natural  loves,  which  delights  are  in 
themselves  evils  ;  "  mountains  "  meaning  the  evils  of  those  loves, 
and  "waters"  falsities  therefrom.  "At  Thy  rebuke  they  flee,  at 
the  voice  of  Thy  thunder  they  haste  away,"  signifies  that  falsities 
are  dispersed  by  truths,  and  evils  by  goods  from  heaven;  "the 
mountains  arise,  and  the  valleys  sink  down  unto  the  place  which 
Thou  hast  founded  for  them,"  signifies  that  in  place  of  natural 
loves  and  of  evils  therefrom  there  are  inserted  heavenly  loves 
and  goods  from  them,  and  in  place  of  falsities  general  truths  are 
admitted  ;  "  Thou  hast  set  a  bound,  they  pass  it  not,  they  re- 
turn not  again  to  cover  the  earth,"  signifies  that  falsities  and 
evils  are  kept  without,  separated  from  truths  and  goods,  and  held 
within  bounds  that  they  may  not  flow  in  again  and  destroy  ;  "  He 
sendeth  forth  springs  into  the  streams,  they  run  between  the 
mountains,"  signifies  that  the  Lord,  out  of  the  truths  of  the  Word^ 
gives  intelligence,  all  things  of  which  are  from  the  good  of  celes- 
tial love  ;  "springs  "  signifying  the  truths  of  the  Word,  "springs 
sent  into  streams  "  intelligence  therefrom,  and  their  "  running  be- 
tween the  mountains  "  that  they  are  from  the  goods  of  celestial  love, 
"mountains"  meaning  such  goods.  "  He  watereth  the  mountains 
from  His  chambers  "  signifies  that  all  goods  are  by  means  of  truths 
from  heaven  ;  "  to  water  "  is  predicated  of  truths,  because  "  waters  " 
mean  truths ;  "  mountains  "  mean  goods  of  love ;  and  "  chambers" 
the  heavens  from  which  these  are.  "The  earth  is  satisfied  with 
the  fruit  of  Thy  works  "  signifies  that  from  the  Divine  operation 
the  church  continually  increases  with  man,  "  fruit  of  works  "  mean- 
ing, in  reference  to  the  Lord,  the  Divine  operation,  and  "the 
earth  "  the  church  in  man,  the  formation  of  which  is  here  treated 
of;  and  the  church  is  said  "to  be  satisfied  "  by  continual  increase. 
These  are  the  arcana  that  are  hid  in  these  words  ;  but  who 
can  see  them  unless  he  knows  them  from  the  internal  sense,  and 
unless  he  is  in  knowledges,  in  this  case,  unless  he  is  in  knowledge 
respecting  the  internal  and  external  man,  and  the  goods  and 
truths  that  constitute  the  church  in  these?     [22.]    In  Zechariah  : 

"  I  lifted  up  mine  eyes  and  looked,  when  behold,  four  chariots  cominpf 
out  from  between . . .  the  mountains  ;  and  the  mountains  were- 
mountains  of  brass  "  (vi.  i). 


912  Al'OCALVPSE    EXPLAIiNKl). 

A  new  church  to  be  cstablislied  ainono;  the  nations  is  treated  of 
in  this  chapter,  for  a  new  temple  is  treated  of,  which  signifies  a 
new  church.  "Chariots  coniinjr  out  from  between  tlie  mountains" 
signify  do(5^rine.  which  must  be  formed  out  of  good  by  means 
of  truths,  "chariots"  signifying  do(5trinals.  "mountains"  goods  of 
love,  and  "between  mountains"  truths  from  goods  ;  for  "valleys," 
which  are  between  mountains,  signify  lower  truths,  which  are  the 
truths  of  the  natural  man.  To  indicate  that  "mountains"  here 
signify  the  goods  of  the  natural  man,  it  is  said,  "and  the  mount- 
ains were  mountains  of  brass,"  "brass  "  signifying  the  good  of  the 
natural  man.     [23.]    In  Zechariah  : 

"Jehovah  shall  go  forth  and  fight  against  the  nations  ; . . .  His  feet  shall 
stand  in  that  day  upon  the  Mount  of  Olives,  before  the  faces  of 
Jerusalem  from  the  east  ;  and  the  Mount  of  Olives  shall  be  cloven 
asunder,  a  part  thereof  toward  the  east  and  toward  the  sea  with  a 
great  valley,  and  a  part  of  the  mountain  shall  withdraw  toward  the 
north,  and  a  part  of  it  toward  the  south.  Then  shall  ye  flee  through 
the  valley  of  My  mountains  ;  and  the  valley  of  the  mountains  shall 
reach  towards  Azel  "  (xiv  3-5). 

This  is  said  of  a  final  judgment,  which  was  accomplished  by  the 
Lord  when  He  was  in  the  world  ;  for  when  the  Lord  was  in  the 
world  He  reduced  all  things  to  order  in  the  heavens  and  in  the 
hells,  therefore  He  then  wrought  a  judgment  upon  the  evil  and 
upon  the  good.  This  judgment  is  what  is  meant  in  the  Word 
of  the  Old  Testament  by  "the  day  of  indignation,"  "of  anger" 
"of  wrath,"  "of  the  vengeance  of  Jehovah,"  and  by  "the  year  of 

retributions  "  (on  this  judgment  see  Last  Judgment,  n.  46).     That  the  Lord's 

coming  and  the  judgment  that  then  took  place  are  treated  of  in 
this  chapter,  is  evident  from  these  words  in  it, 

"Then  Jehovah  my  God  shall  come,  all  the  holy  ones  with  Thee.  And 
there  shall  be  in  that  day  no  light,  brightness,  nor  gleaming ;  and 
it  shall  be  one  day  that  shall  be  known  to  Jehovah,  not  day  nor 
night ;  for  about  the  time  of  evening  there  shall  be  light "  (verses 
5-7). 

"Time  of  evening"  means  the  last  time  of  the  church,  when 
judgment  takes  place  ;  then  it  is  "  evening  "  to  the  evil,  but  "  light " 
to  the  good.  As  soon  as  these  things  are  known,  it  becomes 
plain,  through  the  spiritual  sense,  what  the  particulars  here  sig- 
nify, namely,  "Jehovah  shall  go  forth  and  fight  against  the  na- 
tions"  signifies  a  final  judgment  upon  the  evil,  "to  go  forth  and 
fight"  means  to  execute  judgment,  and  "nations"  the  evil  ;  "His 
feet  shall  stand  upon  the  Mount  of  Olives,  before  the  faces  of  Je- 
rusalem from  the  east,"  signifies  that  this  is  eflfefled  fi-om  the 
Divine  love  by  means  of  Divine  truths  going  forth  from  His  Di- 
vine good,  "  Mount  of  Olives  "  signifying,  in  reference  to  the  Lord, 


CHAP.   VI.,   VERSK    I4. — N.  405[^].  9T3 

the  Divine  love,  "Jerusalem,"  the  church  in  respecl;  to  truths,  and 
therefore  the  Divine  truths  of  the  church,  and  "  the  east  "  the 
Divine  good.  "  The  Mount  of  Olives  shall  be  cloven  asunder,  a 
{)art  thereof  toward  the  east  and  toward  the  sea  with  a  great  val- 
ley." signifies  the  separation  of  those  who  are  in  good  from  those 
who  are  in  evil  :  for  "  the  Mount  of  Olives,"  as  was  said,  means 
the  Divine  love  ;  "the  east"  means  where  those  are  who  are  in 
Divine  good,  and  "  the  sea  "  where  those  are  who  are  in  evil, /or  in 
the  western  quarter  of  the  spiritual  world  a  .sea  is  what  separates. 
"  A  part  of  the  mountain  shall  withdraw  toward  the  north,  and 
part  of  it  toward  the  south,"  signifies  the  separation  of  those  who 
are  in  falsities  of  evil  from  those  who  are  in  truths  of  good, 
"the  north"  meaning  where  those  are  who  are  in  falsities  of 
evil,  since  they  are  in  darkness,  and  "the  south"  where  those  are 
who  are  in  truths  of  good,  since  they  are  in  light.  "  Then 
shall  ye  flee  through  the  valley  of  My  mountains"  signifies  that 
then  those  who  are  in  truths  from  good  shall  be  rescued,  "to 
flee"  signifying  to  be  rescued,  "valley  of  the  mountains"  signify- 
ing where  those  are  who  are  in  knowledges  of  truth,  and  thus  in 
truths  from  good,  for  those  who  are  in  knowledges  of  truth 
dwell  in  valleys,  and  those  who  are  in  good  upon  mountains. 
"And  the  vallev  of  the  mountains  shall  reach  even  unto  Azel" 
signifies  separation  from  falsities  of  evil,  "  Azel "  signifving  sep- 
aration and  liberation.  [24.]  Because  "the  Mount  of  Olives," 
which  was  before  Jerusalem  eastward,  signified  the  Divine  love, 
and  "Jerusalem  from  the  east"  Divine  truth  going  forth  from 
Divine  good,  as  was  said  above,  the  Lord  was  accustomed  to  stay 
on  that  mount,  as  is  evident  in  Luke  : 

Jesus  "every  day  was  teaching  in  the  temple  ;  and  every  night  He  went 
out  and  lodged  in  the  mount  that  is  called  the  Mount  of  Olives  " 
(xxi.  37  ;  xxii.  39  ;   John  viii.  i). 

It  was  here,  too,  that  He  talked  with  His  disciples  about  His 
coming  and  the  consummation  of  the  age,  that  is,  about  the  last 
judgment 

{Matt.  xxiv.  3,  seq.;  Mark  xiii.  3,  seq.). 
It  was  from  here,  also,  that  He  went  to  Jerusalem  and  suffered 

{Matt.  xxi.  I  ;  xxvi.  30  ;  Mark  xi.  i ;  xiv.  26  ;  Luke  xix.  29,  37  ;  xxi.  37  ; 
xxii.  39) ; 

signifying  thereby  that  He  did  all  things  from  the  Divine  love, 
for  "the  Mount  of  Olives"  signified  that  love;  for  whatever  the 
Lord  did  in  the  world  was  representative,  and  whatever  He  spoke 
was  significative.     The  Lord  when  in  the  world  was  in  represent- 


914  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

atives  and  significatives,  in  order  that  He  might  be  in  theoutmosts 
of  heaven  and  the  church,  and  at  the  same  time  in  their  firsts, 
and  thus  might  rule  and  dispose  outmosts  from  firsts,  and  all  in- 
termediates from  firsts  through  outmosts  ;  representatives  and 
significatives  are  in  outmosts. 

[e.]  [25.]  Because  "a  mountain"  signified  the  good  of  love 
and  in  reference  to  the  Lord,  the  Divine  good  of  the  Divine  love, 
from  which  good  Divine  truth  goes  forth,  so  Jehovah,  that  is,  the 
Lord,  descended  upon  Mount  Sinai  and  promulgated  the  law. 
For  it  is  said  that 

He  came  down  upon  that  mount,  to  the  top  of  the  mount  {Exod.  xix.  20  ; 
xxiv.  16,  17) ;  and  that  He  promulgated  the  law  there  {Exod.  xx.) : 

Therefore  Divine  truth  from  Divine  good  is  signified  in  the  Word 
by  "Sinai,"  and  also  by  "the  law"  there  promulgated.     So,  too, 

The  Lord  took  Peter,  James,  and  John  into  a  high  mountadn,  when  He 
was  transfigured  {Matt.  xvii.  i ;  Mark  ix.  2) ; 

and  when  He  was  transfigured  He  appeared  in  Divine  truth  from 
Divine  good,  for  "  His  face  which  was  as  the  sun  "  represented 
the  Divine  good,  and  "His  raiment  which  was  as  the  light"  the 
Divine  truth  ;  and  "Moses  and  Elias,"  who  appeared,  signified  the 
Word,  which  is  Divine  truth  from  the  Divine  good.  [26.]  Since 
"a  mountain  "  signified  good  of  love,  and  in  the  highest  sense,  the 
Divine  good,  and  from  the  Divine  good  Divine  truth  goes  forth, 
so  Mount  Zion  was  situated  above  Jerusalem,  and  in  the  Word 
"  Mount  Zion  "  signifies  a  church  that  is  in  the  good  of  love  to  the 
Lord,  and  "Jerusalem "a  church  that  is  in  truths  from  that  good, 
that  is,  the  church  in  respeft  to  dodlrine.  For  the  same  reason 
Jerusalem  is  called  "a  mountain  of  holiness,"  also  "a  hill;"  for 
"  mountain  of  holiness,"  the  same  as  "  hill,"  signifies  spiritual  good, 
which  in  its  essence  is  truth  from  good,  as  can  be  seen  from  the 
following  passages.     In  Isaiah  : 

"  It  shall  come  to  pass  in  the  future  of  days  that  the  mountain  of  the 
house  of  Jehovah  shall  be  [firm]  on  the  head  of  the  mountains,  and 
shall  be  exalted  above  the  hills  ;  whence  all  nations  shall  flow  unto 
it ;  and  many  peoples  shall  go  and  say.  Come  ye,  let  us  go  up  to  the 
mountain  of  Jehovah,  to  the  house  of  the  God  of  Jacob  "  (ii.  2,  3). 

In  the  same, 

"  In  that  day  a  great  trumpet  shall  be  blown,  and  the  perishing  in  the 
land  of  Assyria  shall  come,  and  the  outcasts  in  the  land  of  Egypt, 
and  they  shall  bow  down  to  Jehovah  in  the  mountain  of  holiness 
at  Jerusalem"  (xxvii.  13). 

In  yoel: 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE    I4. — N.   405[<?].  915 

"B]ow  ye  the  trumpet  out  of  Zion,  and  cry  aloud  in  the  mountain  of 
holiness  "  (ii.  l). 

In  Daniel: 

"Let  Thine  anger  and  Thy  wrath  be  turned  away  from  Thy  city  Jerusa^ 
lem,  the  mountain  of  Thy  holiness  "  (ix.  16). 

In  Isaiah : 

"They  shall  bring  all  your  brethren  out  of  all  nations  ....  unto  Jehovah, 
....  unto  the  mountain  of  My  holiness,  Jerusalem  "  (Ixvi.  20). 

In  the  same, 

"He  that  putteth  His  trust  in  Me  shall  possess  the  land  for  a  heritage, 
and  shall  receive  as  an  inheritance  the  mountain  of  My  holiness" 
(Ivii.  13). 

In  Ezekiel : 

"  In  the  mountain  of  My  holiness,  in  the  mountain  of  the  height  of  Is- 
rael  there  shall  all  the  house  of  Israel,  all  of  them  in  the  land, 

serve  Me  "  (xx.  40). 

In  Micah  : 

"  In  the  end  of  days  it  shall  be  that  the  mountain  of  the  house  of  Jeho- 
vah shall  be  established  on  the  top  of  the  mountains,  and  shall  be 
exalted  above  the  hills  ;  and  the  peoples  shall  flow  unto  it "  (iv.  i). 

Besides  many  passages  elsewhere  in  which  "  mountain  of  holiness," 
"Mount  Zion,"  and  "mountain  of  Jehovah"  are  mentioned: 

"  Mountain  of  holiness  "  in  /sa.  zd.  9  ;  Ivi.  7 ;  Ixv.  11,  25  ;  ^er.  xxxi.  23  ; 

£:eA'.  xxviii.  14  ;  Daii.  ix.  20  ;  xi.  45  ;  joel  ii.  i  ;  iii.  17  ;  Odad.  verse 

16;  Ze/>/i.  iii.  II  ;  Zeck.  viii.  3;  Psalm  xv.  i  ;  xliii.  3). 
And  "Mount  Zion"  is  mentioned  Isa.  iv.  5;    viii.  18;    x.  12  ;   xviii.  7; 

xxiv.  23  ;  xxix.  8  ;  xxxi.  4 ;  xxxvii.  32  ;  y^<f/iii.  5  ;  Obad.  verses  17; 

21 ;  Micah  iv.  7  ;  Lam.  v.  18  ;  Psalm  xlviii.  11  ;  Ixxiv.  2  ;  Ixxviii.  68  , 

cxxv.  I. 

Because  "  Mount  Zion"  signified  Divine  good  and  the  church  in 
respecSt  to  Divine  good,  it  is  said  in  Isaiah  : 

"  Send  ye  [the  lamb  of]  the  ruler  of  the  land  from  the  rock  towards  the 
desert,  unto  the  mountain  of  the  daughter  of  Zion  "  (xvi.  i). 

And  in  the  Apocalypse  : 

"A  Iamb  standing  upon  the  Mount  Zion,  and  with  him  a  hundred  forty 
and  four  thousand  "  (xiv.  i). 

[27.]  From  this  it  can  also  be  seen  why  the  New  Jerusalem,  in 
which  was  a  temple,  was  seen  by  Ezekiel  built  upon  a  high  mount- 
ain, respe(fting  which  it  is  thus  written, 

"In  the  visions  of  God  I  was  brought  unto  the  land  of  Israel;  he  set 
me  down  upon  a  very  high  mountain,  whereon  was  as  it  were  the 
building  of  a  city  on  the  south  "  {Ezek.  xl.  2). 


git<  APOCALYPSE   EXPLAINED. 

Respe(5ting  this,  much  is  said  in  the  chapters  that  follow.  In 
David  : 

"  Great  is  Jehovah,  and  greatly  to  be  praised  in  the  city  of  our  God,  in 
the  mountain  of  His  holiness  ;  beautiful  in  situation,  the  joy  of  tlic 
whole  earth  is  Mount  Zion,  on  the  sides  of  the  north,  the  city  of 
the  great  King.  God  is  known  in  her  palaces  as  a  refuge  "  {Psalm 
xlviii.  1-3). 

This  describes  the  worship  of  the  Lord  from  truths  thai  are  from 
o^ood.  The  worship  of  Him  from  spiritual  truths  and  j^oods  and 
the  consequent  pleasure  of  the  soul  is  signified  by  "  Great  is  Jeho- 
vah, and  greatiy  to  be  praised  in  the  city  of  our  God,  in  the 
mountain  of  His  holiness,  beautiful  for  situation  ;"  worship  is 
meant  by  "to  be  great,"  and  "greatly  to  be  praised;"  spiritual 
truth  that  is  from  spiritual  good  by  "in  the  city  of  our  God,  the 
mountain  of  His  holiness  ;"  and  the  consequent  pleasure  of  the 
soul  by  "beautiful  for  situation  ;"  worship  of  the  Lord  from  celes- 
tial goods  and  truths  is  described  by  "the  jo\-  of  the  whole  earth 
is  Mount  Zion,  on  the  sides  of  the  north,  the  citv  of  the  great 
King;"  worship  from  celestial  good  is  meant  by  "the  joy  of  the 
whole  earth  is  Mount  Zion  ;"  and  truths  from  that  good  by  "on 
the  sides  of  the  north,  the  city  of  the  great  King,"  "sides  of  the 
north"  meaning  truths  from  celestial  good,  and  "city  of  the  great 
King"  dodlrine  of  truth  therefrom.  That  truths  are  inscribed  on 
those  who  are  in  celestial  good  is  signified  by  "  God  is  known  in 
her  palaces."  "The  sides  of  the  north"  signify  truths  from  celes- 
tial good,  because  those  who  are  in  the  Lord's  celestial  kingdom 
dwell  in  the  east  in  heaven  ;  and  those  who  are  iri  truths  from  that 
good,  towards  the  north  there.     [28.]    In  Isaiah  : 

O  Lucifer,  "  thou  hast  said  in  thine  heart,  I  will  ascend  into  the  heavens  ; 
I  will  exalt  my  throne  above  the  stars  of  God  ;  and  I  will  sit  on  the 
mount  of  the  assembly,  on  the  sides  of  the  north"  (xiv.  13). 

"Lucifer"  means  Babylon,  as  is  evident  from  what  precedes  and 
follows  in  this  chapter  :  his  love  of  ruling  over  heaven  and  the 
church  is  described  b}'  "  I  will  ascend  into  the  heavens,  and  will 
exalt  my  throne  above  the  stars  of  God  ;"  which  means  a  striving 
for  dominion  over  those  heavens  that  constitute  the  Lord's  spirit- 
ual kingdom,  for  truths  and  knowledges  of  truth  appear  to  such 
as  stars.  "  I  will  sit  on  the  mount  of  assembly,  on  the  sides  of  the 
north,"  signifies  a  striving  for  dominion  over  the  heavens  that  con- 
stitute the  Lord's  celestial  kingdom,  "mount  of  assembly"  and 
"  sides  of  the  north  "  meaning  the  goods  and  truths  there  (as  above). 
The  fa6l  that  Mount  Zion  and  Jerusalem  were  built  as  far  as 
possible  according  to  the  form  of  heaven  makes  clear  what  the 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE    I4. — N.  405[/].  917 

words  cited  above  signify,  from  David,  "  Mount  Zion  on  the  sides 
of  the  north,  the  city  of  the  great  King  ;"  and  from  Isaiah,  "  The 
mount  of  assembly,  on  the  sides  of  the  north."    [29.]    In  Isaiah: 

Sennacherib  the  king  of  Assyria  said,  "  By  the  multitude  of  my  chariots 
I  will  come  up  to  the  height  of  the  mountains,  to  the  sides  of  Leb- 
anon ;  where  I  will  cut  down  the  height  of  its  cedars,  the  choice 
of  its  fir  trees"  (xxxvii.  24). 

This  describes,  in  the  internal  sense,  the  haughtiness  of  those 
who  wish  to  destroy  the  goods  and  truths  of  the  church  by  rea- 
sonings from  falsities  ;  "the  king  of  Assyria"  signifies  the  rational 
perverted;  "the  multitude  of  his  chariots"  signifies  reasonings 
from  falsities  of  doctrine  ;  "  to  come  up  to  the  height  of  the  mount- 
ains, to  the  sides  of  Lebanon,  and  to  cut  down  the  height  of  its 
cedars,  and  the  choice  of  its  fir  trees,"  signifies  the  endeavor  to 
destroy  the  goods  and  truths  of  the  church,  both  internal  and  ex- 
ternal;  "mountains"  meaning  the  goods  of  the  church,  "the 
sides  of  Lebanon"  meaning  where  goods  are  conjoined  with 
truths,  "Lebanon"  the  spiritual  church,  "cedars"  its  internal 
truths  which  are  from  good,  and  "fir  trees"  its  external  truths, 
also  from  good.  This  is  the  meaning  of  these  words  in  the  spir- 
itual sense,  consequently  in  heaven.  [30.]  "  Mountain "  and 
"mountains"  signify  the  goods  of  love  and  charity  in  the  follow- 
ing passages  also.     In  David  : 

Jehovah  "  who  covereth  the  heavens  with  clouds,  who  prepareth  rain 
for  the  earth,  who  maketh  grass  to  grow  upon  the  mountains" 
{Psalm  cxlvii.  8). 

"The  clouds,"  with  which  Jehovah  covers  the  heavens,  signify 
external  truths,  such  as  are  in  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word  ; 
for  the  truths  in  that  sense  are  called  in  the  Word  "clouds,"  while 
the  truths  in  the  internal  sense  are  called  "glory;"  "the  heav- 
ens" mean  internal  truths,  because  those  who  are  in  the  heavens 
are  in  such;  "the  rain  which  He  prepares  for  the  earth"  signi- 
fies influx  of  truth,  "the  earth"  meaning  the  church,  and  thus 
those  there  who  receive  truth,  for  the  church  consists  of  such  ; 
"the  mountains"  on  which  He  makes  grass  to  grow  signify  the 
goods  of  love,  and  thus  those  who  are  in  goods  of  love,  "grass" 
signifying  the  spiritual  nourishment  that  such  have  ;  for  grass  for 
beasts  is  meant,  and  "beasts"  signify  the  afFedions  for  good  of 
the  natural  man. 

[/.]   [31.]    In  Moses : 

"  Of  Joseph  he  said,  Blessed  of  Jehovah  be  the  land  (of  Joseph),  for  the 
precious  things  of  heaven,  for  the  dew,  and  for  the  deep  that  lieth 


9IcS  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

beneath  ;. . .  .  for  the  first  fruits  of  the  mountains  of  the  east,  and 
for  the  precious  things  of  the  hills  of  an  age  "  {Deut.  xxxiii.  13-15). 

This  is  the  blessinj^'  of  Joseph,  or  ot  ilie  tribe  named  from  Joseph, 
by  Moses;  and  this  blessing  was  pronounced  upon  Joseph  be- 
cause "Joseph"  signifies  the  Lord's  spiritual  kingdom,  and  the 
heaven  there  that  most  nearly  communicates  with  the  Lord's  ce- 
lestial kingdom  ;  "  the  land  of  Joseph  "  means  that  heaven,  and 
also  the  church  that  consists  of  those  who  will  be  in  that  heaven. 
"The  precious  things  of  heaven,  the  dew,  and  the  deep  that 
lieth  beneath,"  signify  Divine-spiritual  and  spiritual-natural  things 
from  a  celestial  origin,  "  the  precious  things  of  heaven  "  Divine- 
spiritual  things,  "the  dew"  spiritual  things  communicating,  and 
"the  deep  that  lieth  beneath"  spiritual-natural  things.  "The 
first  fruits  of  the  mountains  of  the  east,  and  the  precious  things 
of  the  hills  of  an  age,"  signify  genuine  goods,  both  of  love  to  the 
Lord  and  of  charity  towards  the  neighbor,  "  mountains  of  the 
east"  meaning  goods  of  love  to  the  Lord,  "first-fruits"  genuine 
goods,  and  "hills  of  an  age"  goods  of  charity  towards  the  neigh- 
bor. Those  who  are  ignorant  of  what  is  represented  by  "Jo- 
seph" and  "his  tribe,"  and  also  by  "dew,"  "the  deep  that  lieth 
beneath,"  "mountains  of  the  east,"  and  "hills  of  an  age,"  can 
apprehend  scarcely  anything  of  what  such  words  involve,  and,  in 
general,  can  apprehend  scarcely  anything  of  the  significance  of 
what  is  said  by  Moses  in  this  whole  chapter  respecting  the  tribes 
of  Israel,  and  of  what  is  said  by  Israel  the  father  in  Genesis 
xlix.     [32.]    In  MaUheTv: 

"Ye  are  the  light  of  the  world  :  a  light  that  is  set  on  a  mountain  cannot 
be  hid"  (v.  14). 

This  was  said  to  the  disciples,  by  whom  the  church  which  is  in 
truths  from  good  is  meant ;  therefore  it  is  said,  "Ye  are  the  light 
of  the  world,"  "light  of  the  world"  meaning  the  truth  of  the 
church.  That  it  is  not  truth  unless  it  is  from  good  is  signified  by 
"a  light  that  is  set  on  a  mountain  cannot  be  hid,"  "light  on  a 
mountain"  meaning  truth  from  good.      [33.]    In  the  same, 

"If  any  man  have  a  hundred  sheep,  and  one  of  them  be  gone  astray, 
will  he  not  leave  the  ninety  and  nine  in  the  mountains,  and  going 
seek  that  which  is  gone  astray?"  (xviii.  12.) 

It  is  said  "will  he  not  leave  the  ninety  and  nine  in  the  mount- 
ains?" for  "  sheep  in  the  mountains"  signify  those  who  are  in  the 
good  of  love  and  charity  ;  but  "the  one  that  is  gone  astray"  sig- 
nifies one  who  is  not  in  thai;  good,  because  he  in  falsities  from 
ignorance  ;  for  where  falsitv  is,  there  good  is  not,  because  good 
is  of  truth.     [34.]    In  the  Gospels  : 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE   I4. — N.  405[^].  9I9 

"  When  ye  shall  see  the  abomination  of  desolation,  spoken  of  by  Daniel 
the  prophet then  let  them  that  are  in  Judaea  flee  to  the  mount- 
ains ;  and  let  him  that  is  on  the  roof  not  go  down  into  the  house  " 
{Mark  xiii.  14,  15  ;  Matt.  xxiv.  15-17;  Luke  xxi.  21). 

In  these  chapters  the  Lord  describes  the  gradual  vastation  ctf  the 
church,  but  it  is  described  by  pure  correspondences.  "  When  ye 
shall  see  the  abomination  of  desolation  "  signifies  when  the  dis- 
ciples, that  is,  those  who  are  in  truths  from  good,  perceive  the 
church  to  be  devastated,  which  takes  place  when  there  is  no 
longer  any  truth  because  there  is  no  good,  or  no  faith  because 
there  is  no  charity ;  "  then  let  them  that  are  in  Judaea  flee  to  the 
mountains"  signifies  that  those  who  are  of  the  Lord's  church  are 
to  remain  in  the  good  of  love,  "Judaea  "  signifying  the  Lord's 
church,  and  "  mountains  "  goods  of  love  ;  "  to  flee  to  them  "  means 
to  remain  in  those  goods.  "  Let  him  that  is  on  the  roof  not  go 
down  into  the  house"  signifies  that  he  that  is  in  genuine  truths 
should  remain  in  them,  "  house  "  signifying  a  man  in  respedl  to 
all  interior  things  which  belong  to  his  mind,  and  "roof  of  the 
house"  signifying  therefore  the  intelligence  that  is  from  genuine 
truths,  thus  the  genuine  truths  through  which  there  is  intelligence. 
Unless  the  particulars  of  what  the  Lord  said  in  these  chapters  of 
the  Gospels  are  elucidated  by  the  spiritual  sense,  scarcely  any- 
thing that  is  contained  there  can  be  known,  thus  why  it  is  said 
"  let  him  that  is  on  the  roof  not  go  down  into  the  house,"  or  in 
another  place,  "  let  not  him  that  is  in  the  field  return  back  to 
take  his  garments  ;"  and  many  other  things. 

[</.]  [35.]  Thus  far  it  has  been  shown  that  "  mountains"  sig- 
nify in  the  Word  goods  of  love  ;  but  as  most  things  in  the  Word 
have  also  a  contrary  sense,  so  do  "  mountains,"  which  in  that 
sense  signify  evils  of  the  love,  or  the  evils  that  spring  forth  from 
the  loves  of  self  and  the  world.  Mountains  are  mentioned  in  this 
sense  in  the  following  passages  in  the  Word.     In  Isaiah  : 

"A  day  of  Jehovah  of  hosts  shall  come  upon  every  one  that  is  proud 
and  lofty,.  . .  .and  upon  all  the  high  mountains,  and  upon  all  the 
hills  that  are  lifted  up"  (ii.  12,  14). 

"A  day  of  Jehovah  of  hosts"  means  the  last  judgment,  when 
the  evil  were  cast  down  from  the  mountains  and  hills  which  they 
occupied  in  the  spiritual  world,  as  was  described  in  the  beginning 
of  this  article.  It  is  because  such  before  the  last  judgment  dwelt 
upon  mountains  and  hills,  that  "  mountains  and  hills  "  mean  the 
loves  and  the  evils  therefrom  in  which  they  were,  "mountains" 
the  evils  of  love  of  self,  and  "hills"  the  evils  of  love  of  the  world. 
It  is  to  be  noted  that  all  who  are  in  the  love  of  self,  especially 
those  who  are  in  the  love  of  ruling,  when  they  come  into  the  spir- 
itual world,  are  in  the  greatest  eagerness  to  raise  themselves  into 


920  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

high  places ;  this  desire  is  inherent  in  that  love  ;  and  this  Ls  why 
"to  be  ol  a  high  or  elated  mind"  and  "to  aspire  to  hii>h  things  " 
are  expressions  in  common  use.  The  essential  reason  that  there 
is  this  eagerness  in  the  love  ol"  ruling  is  that  they  wish  to  make 
themselves  gods,  and  God  is  in  things  highest.  That  "  mount- 
ains and  hills  "  signify  the.se  loves,  and  thus  the  evils  of  these  loves, 
is  clear  from  its  being  said,  "a  day  of  Jehovah  of  hosts  shall  come 
upon  every  one  that  is  proud  and  lofty,  and  u[)on  all  the  high 
mountains,  and  upon  all  the  hills  that  are  lifted  up  ;"  what  other- 
wise could  be  meant  by  "coming  upon  mountains  and  hills?" 
[36.]    In  the  same, 

"The  voice  of  him  that  crleth  in  the  desert,  Prepare  ye  the  way  of  Je- 
hovah, make  level ....  a  highway  for  our  God.  Every  valley  shall 
be  exalted,  and  every  mountain  and  hill  shall  be  made  low" 
(xl.  3,  4)- 

This,  too,  treats  of  the  Lord's  coming  and  of  a  rinal  judgment  at 
that  time;  and  "the  voice  of  him  that  crieth  in  the  desert, 
Prepare  ye  the  way  of  Jehovah,  and  a  highway  for  our  God,"  sig- 
nifies that  they  should  prepare  themselves  to  receive  the  Lord, 
"desert"  signifying  where  there  is  no  good  because  there  is  no 
truth,  thus  where  there  is  as  yet  no  church  ;  "  ever}-  valley  shall 
be  exalted,  and  every  mountain  and  hill  shall  be  made  low." 
signifies  that  all  who  are  humble  in  heart,  that  is,  all  who  are  in 
goods  and  truths,  are  received,  for  such  as  are  received  by  the 
Lord  are  raised  up  to  heaven ;  while  "  every  mountain  and  hill 
shall  be  made  low"  signifies  that  all  who  are  elated  in  mind,  that 
is,  who  are  in  the  love  of  self  and  the  world,  shall  be  put  down. 
[37.]   In  Ezekicl : 

"  For  I  will  make  the  land  a  desolation  and  wasteness,  that  the  pomp  of 
strength  may  cease ;  and  the  mountains  of  Israel  have  been  laid 
waste,  that  none  may  pass  through  "  (xxxiii.  28). 

This  describes  the  desolation  and  wasteness  of  the  spiritual  church, 
which  the  Israelites  represented  ;  for  the  Jews  rey^resented  the 
Lord's  celestial  kingdom,  or  the  celestial  church,  while  the  Israel- 
ites represented  the  Lord's  spiritual  kingdom,  or  the  spiritual 
church.  Its  "desolation  and  wasteness"  signifies  the  last  state 
of  the  spiritual  church,  which  was  when  there  was  no  longer  any 
truth  because  there  was  no  good,  or,  when  there  was  no  faith  be- 
cause no  charity:  "desolation"  is  predicated  of  truth  which  is 
of  faith,  and  "  wasteness  "  of  good  which  is  of  charity.  Boasting 
and  elation  of  mind  from  falsities  that  are  called  truths,  is  signi- 
fied by  "the  pomp  of  strength,"  "  strength"  and  "power"  hav- 
ing reference  to  truths  from  good,  because  all  strength  and  all 
power  belong  to  such  truths  ;  here,  however,  they  have  reference 
to  falsities,  because  of  the  boasting  and  elation  of  mind.     That 


CHAP.   VI.,   VERSE    14. — N.  405[^].  92  I 

there  was  no  longer  any  good  of  charity  and  faith  is  signiricd 
by  "the  mountains  of  Israel  have  been  laid  waste;"  that  there 
was  no  good  whatever,  but  only  evil,  is  signified  l)y  "that  none 
may  pass  through."     [38.]    In  the  same. 

"Son  of  man,  set  thy  faces  toward  the  mountains  of  Israel,  and  prophesy 
against  them,  and  say.  Ye  mountains  of  Israel,  hear  the  word  01 
the  Lord  Jehovih ;  Thus  said  the  Lord  Jehovih  to  the  mountains 
and  to  the  hills,  to  the  channels  and  to  the  valleys  :  Behold  I  bring 
a  sword  upon  you"  (vi.  2,  3). 

Here,  too,  "  mountains  of  Israel "  signify  the  evils  that  go  forth 
from  the  love  of  self  and  of  the  world,  which  e.xist  with  those  who 
are  in  a  spiritual  church,  when  they  no  longer  have  any  good 
of  life,  but  only  evil  of  life  and*  falsity  of-doctrine  therefrom  ; 
"  mountains,"  "  hills,"  ''  channels,"  and  "  valleys,"  signify  all  things 
of  the  church,  both  interior  or  spiritual  and  exterior  or  natural, 
"mountains  and  hills"  signifying  things  interior  or  spiritual, 
"channels  and  valleys"  things  exterior  or  natural  ;  that  these 
will  perish  through  falsities  is  signified  by  "Behold  I  will  bring  a 
sword  upon  you,"  "  sword  "  meaning  the  destruction  of  falsity  bv 
truths,  but  in  a  contrary  sense,  as  here,  the  destruction  of  truth 
by  falsities.     [39.]    In  the  same, 

"In  the  day  in  which  Gog  shall  come  upon  the  land  of  Israel the 

fishes  of  the  sea,  and  the  bird  of  the  heavens,  and  the  wild  beast 
of  the  field,  and  every  creeping  thing  that  creepeth  upon  the  earth, 
and  every  man  who  is  upon  the  faces  of  the  earth,  shall  trem- 
ble before  Me,  and  the  mountains  shall  be  overthrown,  and  the  steps 
shall  fall,  and  every  wall  shall  fall  to  the  ground  ;  then  I  will  call 
for  a  sword  against  him  unto  all  My  mountains  "  (xxxviii.  18,  20,  21). 

What  all  this  signifies  see  above  fn.  400M),  where  it  is  explained, 
namely,  what  is  signified  b)-  "Gog,"  by  "fishes  of  the  sea,"  "bird 
of  the  heavens,"  "wild  beast  of  the  field,"  "creeping  thing  that 
creepeth  upon  the  earth  ;"  also  that  "the  mountains  of  Israel" 
signify  the  goods  of  spiritual  love,  but  here,  the  evils  of  lo\e  that 
are  opposed  to  those  goods.     [40.]    In  Micah: 

"Arise,  contend  thou  with  the  mountains,  that  the  hills  may  hear  thy 
voice.  Hear,  O  ye  mountains,  the  controversy  of  Jehovah,  and  ye 
strong  foundations  of  the  earth  ;  for  Jehovah  hath  a  controversy 
with  His  people,  and  He  pleadeth  with  Israel"  (vi.  i,  2). 

This,  too,  was  said  of  a  spiritual  church,  which  was  represented 
by  the  Israelites  when  separated  from  the  Jews  ;  and  "  mountains  " 
mean  the  goods  of  charity,  and  "  hills"  the  goods  of  faith  ;  but 
here,  the  evils  and  falsities  that  are  the  opposites  of  these  goods  : 
therefore  it  is  said,  "contend  thou  with  the  mountains,  and  let  the 
hills  hear  thy  voice."  "The  strong  foundations  of  the  earth" 
mean  the  principles  of  falsity  in  that  church,  "the  earth"  mean- 
ing the  church,  and  "foundations"  the  principles  upon  which  the 


922  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

Other  things  are  founded.  It  is  said,  "with  His  people,"  "with 
Israel,"  because  "people  "  means  those  who  are  in  truths,  or  those 
who  are  in  falsities ;  and  "  Israel "  those  who  are  in  goods,  or 
those  who  are  in  evils.     [41.]    In  ye rcmiah: 

"  Behold,  I  am  against  thee,  O  destroying  mountain,.  .  .  .destroying  the 
whole  earth  ;  and  I  will  stretch  out  the  hand  against  thee,  and  roll 
thee  down  from  the  rocks,  and  will  make  thee  a  mountain  of  burn- 
ing" (li.  25). 

This  was  said  of  Babylon,  by  which  those  who  are  in  falsities 
of  evil  and  in  evils  of  falsity  from  the  love  of  self  are  meant,  for 
such  misuse  the  holy  things  of  the  church  as  a  means  of  ruling  ; 
it  is  from  that  love  and  the  falsities  and  evils  therefrom  that  Baby- 
lon is  called  "a  destroying  mountain,  destroying  the  whole  earth," 
"the  earth"  meaning  the  church.  The  destrucbtion  and  damna- 
tion of  such  bv  falsities  of  evil  is  signified  by  "I  will  roll  thee 
down  from  the  rocks,"  "  rocks  "  meaning  where  truths  of  faith  are, 
here,  where  falsities  of  evil  are  ;  while  the  destruction  and  damn- 
ation of  such  by  evils  of  falsity  is  signified  by  "  I  will  make  thee 
a  mountain  of  burning,"  "  burning  "  having  reference  to  the  love  of 

self,  because  "fire"  signifies  that  love  (see  Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  566-573). 

This  makes  clear  that  "mountains"  signify  the  evils  of  love  of 
self  and  the  world,  since  Babylon  is  called  "a  destroying  mount- 
ain," and  is  to  be  made  "a  mountain  of  burning.*'    In  Nahwtn  : 

"The  mountains  quake  before  Him,  and  the  hills  melt,  and  the  whole 

earth  is  burned  up  before  Him Who  can  stand  before  His 

rebuking?"  (i.  5,  6.) 

What  this,  in  conne6lion,  signifies,  may  be  seen  above  (n.  ,400[(J]), 
where  the  particulars  are  explained  ;  showing  that  "  mountains  and 
hills"  here  mean  the  evils  of  love  of  self  and  the  world, 
[fc.]    [42.]   In  Micah  : 

"Jehovah  going  forth  out  of  His  place  cometh  down  and  treadeth  upon 
the  high  places  of  the  earth.  Therefore  the  mountains  are  melted 
under  Him,  and  the  valleys  are  cleft,  as  wax  before  the  fire,  as 
waters  poured  down  a  steep  place  ;  on  account  of  the  transgres- 
sions of  Jacob  is  all  this,  and  on  account  of  the  sins  of  the  house 
of  Israel  "  (i.  3-5). 

This,  too,  was  said  of  the  last  judgment,  and  of  those  who  then 
made  for   themselves  a  semblance  of  heaven   upon   mountains 

and  hills  (who  have  been  treated  of  above,  in  several  places).  The  last  judg- 
ment is  meant  by  "Jehovah  going  forth  out  of  His  place,  cometh 
down  and  treadeth  upon  the  high  places  of  the  earth,"  "upon 
the  high  places  of  the  earth"  signifying  upon  those  who  were 
in  the  high  places,  that  is,  upon  whom  judgment  was  executed, 
for  in  the  spiritual  world,  just  as  in  the  natural  world,  there  are 
lands,  mountains,  hills,  and  valleys.    The  destru6lion  of  those  who 


CHAP.   VI.,  VERSE    I4. — N.  405[/zJ.  923 

are  upon  the  mountains  and  in  the  valleys,  who  are  .such  as  are 
in  evils  from  love  of  self  and  the  world  and  in  falsities  therefrom, 
is  signified  by  "the  mountains  are  melted  under  Him,  and  the 
valleys  are  cleft,  as  wax  before  the  fire,  as  waters  poured  down  a 
steep  place,"  "mountains  "  signifying  the  evils  of  the  loves  of  self 
and  of  the  world,  and  "valleys"  falsities  therefrom;  of  these 
evils  of  the  loves  of  self  and  of  the  world  that  are  signified  by 
"mountains"  it  is  said  that  they  are  melted  "as  wax  before  the 
fire,"  since  "fire"  signifies  those  loves;  and  of  the  falsities  that 
are  signified  by  "valleys"  it  is  said  "as  waters  poured  down  a 
steep  place,"  since  "waters"  signify  falsities.  This  was  evidently 
because  of  evils  and  falsities,  for  it  is  said,  "  on  account  of  the 
transgressions  of  Jacob  is  all  this,  and  on  account  of  the  sins  of 
the  house  of  Israel."     [43.]    In  yeremiah  : 

"  I  looked  at  the  earth,  and  lo,  it  is  void  and  empty  ;  and  towards  the 
heavens,  and  they  have  no  light.  I  beheld  the  mountains,  and  lo, 
they  are  moved,  and  all  the  hills  are  overturned.  I  beheld,  and 
lo,  there  is  no  man,  and  every  bird  of  every  bird  of  heaven  hath 
fled"  (iv.  23-35), 

"The  moving  of  the  mountains"  signifies  the  destrucflion  of  those 
who  are  in  the  evils  of  the  love  of  self,  and  "  the  overturning  of 
the  hills,"  the  destru6lion  of  those  who  are  in  the  evils  of  the  love 
of  the  world,  and  in  falsities.  (The remainder  maybe  seen  explained  above, 
n.  28o[^],  304[^].)     In  Isaiah: 

O  Jehovah,  "that  Thou  wouldst  rend  the  heavens,  that  Thou  wouldst 
come  down,  that  the  mountains  might  flow  down  before  Thee  " 
(Ixiv.  i). 

These  words  have  the  same  signification  as  those  in  Micah  (i.  3-5) 
which  have  been  explained  above.     [44.]    In  David  : 

"  Bow  Thy  heavens,  O  Jehovah,  and  come  down  ;  touch  the  mountains 
that  they  may  smoke.  Cast  forth  lightning  and  scatter  them" 
{Psalm  cxliv.  5,  6). 

"  To  bow  the  heavens  and  come  down  "  means  the  same  as  "  to  rend 
the  heavens  and  come  down,"  "  to  go  forth  out  of  His  place,  and  to 
come  down  and  tread  upon  the  high  places  of  the  earth,"  quoted 
above,  namely,  to  visit  and  judge.  "To touch  the  mountains  that 
they  may  smoke"  signifies  to  destroy  by  His  presence  those 
who  are  in  the  evils  of  the  loves  of  self  and  of  the  world,  and  in 
falsities  therefrom  ;  "to  smoke"  signifies  to  be  let  into  the  evils  of 
these  loves  and  into  their  falsities,  for  "  fire  "  signifies  these  loves, 
and  "smoke"  their  falsities.  "Cast  forth  lightning  and  scatter 
them"  signifies  the  Divine  truth  by  which  they  are  dispersed,  for 
it  is  by  the  presence  of  Divine  truth  that  evils  and  falsities  are  dis- 
closed, and  from  the  collision  then  there  are  appearances  like 
lightnings.     [45.]    In  Moses  : 


924  Al'OCAI.YPSE    KXPLAINED. 

"A  fire  hiith  been  kindled  in  Mine  anger,  and  shall  burn  even  unto  the 
lowest  hell,  and  it  shall  consume  the  earth  and  its  produce,  and  shall 
set  on  fire  the  foundations  of  the  mountains  "  (Deut.  xxxii.  22). 

It  is  said  that  "a  lire  hatli  been  kiiullcd  in  Jchnx all's  anger,  which 
>hall  burn  even  unto  the  lowest  hell,"  although  Jehovah  has  no 
tire  of  an^er,  much  less  one  that  burns  to  tin*  lowest  hell ;  for  Je- 
hovah, that  is,  the  Lord,  is  angry  with  no  one,  and  does  evil 
to  no  one,  neither  does  He  cast  any  one  into  hell,  as  may  be  seen 
in  Heaveyi  ayid  Hell  (n.  545-550) ;  but  it  is  so  said  in  the  sense  of  the 
letter  of  the  Word,  because  it  so  a[)pears  to  an  evil  man,  and  also 
to  a  simple  man,  for  the  Word  in  the  letter  is  in  accord  with  the 
appearance,  because  in  accord  with  the  apprehension  of  natural 
men.  But  as  angels,  who  are  spiritual,  see  the  truths  themselves 
of  the  Word,  not  apparently  according  to  the  apprehension  of 
man,  but  spiritually,  so  with  angels  the  sense  of  such  expressions 
is  inverted,  and  this  is  the  internal  or  spiritual  sense,  that  is,  that 
the  infernal  love  with  man  is  such  a  fire,  arrd  burns  even  to  the 
lowest  hell  ;  and  as  that  fire,  that  is,  that  love,  destroys  all  things 
of  the  church  with  man,  from  the  very  foundation,  it  is  said  that 
"it  shall  consume  the  earth  and  its  produce,  and  shall  set  on  fire 
the  foundations  of  the  mountains,"  "the  earth"  meaning  the 
church,  "its  produce"  everything  of  the  church,  "foundations  of 
the  mountains "  the  truths  upon  which  the  goods  of  love  are 
founded,  and  these  are  said  "  to  be  set  on  fire"  by  the  fire  of  love 
of  self  and  the  world.     In  David  : 

"Then  the  earth  shook  and  was  shaken,  and  the  foundations  of  the 
mountains  trembled  and  were  shaken,  because  He  was  wroth" 
{Psalm  xviii.  7). 

The  meaning  here  is  the  same,  but  for  an  explanation  of  the  par- 
ticulars see  above  iw.  40o[^]).     In  the  same, 

"  God  is  a  refuge  for  us.  ...  Therefore  will  we  not  fear  when  the  earth 
shall  be  changed,  and  when  the  mountains  shall  be  shaken  in  the 
heart  of  the  seas  ;  the  waters  thereof  shall  be  stirred  up,  shall  be 
made  turbid,  the  mountains  shall  tremble  in  the  pride  thereof" 
{Psalm  xlvi.  1-3). 

This,  too,  may  be  seen  explained  above  (n.  304M),  where  it  may  be 
seen  what  is  signified  by  "the  mountains  shall  be  shaken  in  the 
heart  of  the  seas,"  and  "the  mountains  shall  tremble  in  pride," 
namely,  that  the  evils  of  the  loves  of  self  and  of  the  world  will 
cause  distress  according  to  their  increase.     [46.]    In  Isaiah: 

"The  anger  of  Jehovah  is  against  all  nations,  and  His  wrath  upon  all 
their  host  ;  He  hath  devoted  them,  He  hath  delivered  them  to  the 
slaughter,  that  their  slain  may  be  cast  out  ;  and  the  stink  of  their 
carcasses  shall  come  up,  and  the  mountains  shall  be  melted  by 
their  blood  "  (xxxiv.  2,  3). 


CHAP.    VI.,   VEKSK    I4. — N.   405[/!].  (^2^ 

Thi.s  is  said  of  the  last  judgment ;  and  "the  anger  of  Jehovah  is 
is  against  all  nations,  and  His  wrath  upon  all  their  host,"  sig- 
nifies the  destruction  and  damnation  of  all  who  are  in  evils  and 
their  falsities  from  purpose  and  from  the  heart;  "nations"  signi- 
fving  these  evils,  and  "host"  all  falsities  therefrom.  That  such 
as  are  in  evils  and  falsities  must  be  damned  and  will  perish  is 
signified  bv  "  He  hath  devoted  them,  and  hath  delivered  them  to 
the  slaughter."  The  damnation  of  those  who  will  perish  through 
falsities  is  signified  by  "their  slain  shall  be  cast  out;"  those  are 
said  in  the  Word  "  to  have  been  slain"  who  have  perished  through 
falsities  ;  and  "  to  be  cast  out "  signifies  to  be  damned.  The  damn- 
ation of  those  who  would  perish  by  evils  is  signified  by  "  the  stink 
of  their  carcasses  shall  come  up  ;"  those  are  called  in  the  Word 
"carcasses"  who  have  perished  by  evils,  and  "stink"  signifies 
their  damnation.  "  The  mountains  shall  be  melted  by  their  blood  " 
signifies  that  evils  of  the  loves  with  such  are  full  of  falsities, 
"  mountains  "  meaning  the  evils  of  the  loves  of  self  and  of  the 
world,  and  "blood"  falsity.     [47.]    In  the  same, 

"  I  will  make  waste  mountains  and  hills,  and  dry  up  all  their  herb- 
age ;  and  I  will  make  the  rivers  islands,  and  I  will  dry  up  the  pools  " 

(xlii.  15). 

"  To  make  waste  mountains  and  hills  "  signifies  to  destroy  all  good 
of  love  to  the  Lord  and  towards  the  neighbor;  "to  dry  up  all 
herbage"  signifies  the  consequent  destru6lion  of  all  truths, " herb- 
age" signifying  truths  springing  from  good ;  "to  make  the  rivers 
islands,  and  to  dry  up  the  pools,"  signifies  to  annihilate  all  under- 
standing'and  perception  of  truth,  "rivers"  signifying  intelligence 
which  is  of  truth, "  islands  "  where  there  is  no  intelligence, "  pools " 
perception  of  truth.  Understanding  of  truth  is  from  the  light  of 
truth,  but  perception  of  truth  is  from  the  heat  or  love  of  truth. 
[48.]   In  the  same, 

"Behold,"  O  Jacob,  "  I  have  made  thee  into  a  new  threshing  instrument 
having  sharp  teeth,  that  thou  mayest  thresh  the  mountains,  and 
beat  them  small,  and  make  the  hills  as  chaff.  Thou  shalt  scatter 
them,  that  the  wind  may  carry  them  away  and  the  tempest  disperse 
them"  (.xli.  15,  16). 

"Jacob"  means  the  external  church  in  respe6l  to  good  and  truth, 
and  thus  external  good  and  truth,  which  are  good  and  truth  from 
the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word.  Those  who  are  of  the  external 
church  are  in  such  good  and  truth.  These  are  compared  to  "  a  new 
ihre.shing  instrument  having  sharp  teeth,"  because  a  threshing  in- 
strument beats  out  wheat,  barley,  and  other  grain  from  the  ears, 
and  these  signify  the  goods  and  truths  of  the  church  (see  above,  n.  374, 


926  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

375[".^])  ;  SO  because  evils  and  falsities  are  what  are  to  be  crushed 
and  broken  up  it  is  said  "a  threshing  instrument  having  sharp 
teeth,  that  thou  mayest  thresh  the  mountains  and  beat  them  small, 
and  make  the  hills  as  chaff,"  which  signifies  the  destruction  of  the 
evils  arising  from  the  love  of  self  and  the  world,  and  of  the  falsities 
therefrom  ;  and  it  is  added  "thou  shalt  scatter  them,  that  the  wind 
may  carry  them  away  and  the  tempest  disperse  them,"  which  sig- 
nifies that  they  shall  be  of  no  account ;  both  "wind"  and  "tem- 
pest" are  mentioned  because  both  evils  and  falsities  are  meant, 
"wind"  having  reference  to  truths,  and  in  the  contrary  sense  to 
falsities,  and  "tempest"  to  the  evils  of  falsity.     [49.]   In  the  same, 

"  The  mountains  shall  depart,  and  the  hills  be  removed,  but  My  mercy 
shall  not  depart  from  with  thee"  (liv.  lo). 

"  The  mountains  shall  depart,  and  the  hills  be  removed,"  does  not 
mean  that  the  mountains  and  hills  that  are  on  the  earth  are  to 
depart  and  be  removed,  but  those  who  are  in  evil  loves  and  in 
falsities  therefrom,  for  this  chapter  treats  of  the  nations  from  which 
a  new  church  is  to  be  formed,  therefore  "mountains  and  hills" 
mean,  in  particular,  those  of  the  former  church,  consequently  the 
Jews  with  whom  were  mere  evils  of  falsity  and  falsities  of  evil, 
because  they  were  in  the  loves  of  self  and  of  the  world.  [50.]  In 
yeremiah  : 

"  For  the  mountains  will  I  take  up  a  weeping  and  wailing,  and  for  the 
habitations  of  the  desert  a  lamentation,  because  they  are  laid  waste 
so  that  no  man  passeth  through  "  (ix.  lo). 

"The  mountains"  for  which  there  is  weeping  and  lamentation, 
mean  evils  of  every  kind  springing  forth  from  the  two  loves  just 
mentioned ;  and  "  the  habitations  of  the  desert "  signify  falsities 
therefrom,  for  "desert"  signifies  where  there  is  no  good  because 
there  is  no  truth,  and  "habitations"  where  falsities  are;  so  here 
"habitations  of  the  desert"  mean  falsities  from  the  evils  above  de- 
scribed ;  that  there  is  no  good  or  truth  whatever  is  meant  by  "  they 
are  laid  waste  so  that  no  man  passeth  through."  Where  vastation 
is  treated  of  in  the  Word,  "so  that  no  man  passeth  through"  is  a 
frequent  expression,  and  it  signifies  that  there  is  no  longer  any 
truth,  and  consequently  no  intelligence.  It  is  evident  that  it  is  not 
mountains  and  habitations  of  the  desert  for  which  there  is  weeping 
and  wailing.     [51.]    In  the  same, 

"  My  people  have  been  lost  sheep  ;  their  shepherds  have  caused  them 
to  go  astray,  the  mountains  have  turned  away ;  they  have  gone 
from  mountain  to  hill,  they  have  forgotten  their  resting  place " 
(1.  6). 

In  Ezekiel: 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE    14. — N.  405[zJ.  927 

"  My  sheep  wander  on  all  the  mountains  and  upon  every  high  hill  ;  and 
My  sheep  were  scattered  upon  all  the  faces  of  the  earth,  and  there 
is  none  that  searcheth  or  seeketh  "  (xxxiv.  6). 

That  "  the  sheep  have  o^one  from  mountain  to  hill,"  and  that  "  they 
wander  on  all  the  mountains  and  upon  every  high  hill"  signifies 
to  seek  goods  and  truths,  but  not  to  find  them,  but  that  evils  and 
falsities  are  seized  upon  instead.  "  The  mountains  have  turned 
away"  signifies  that  instead  of  goods  there  are  evils.  [52.]  In 
yereviiah  : 

"  Give  glory  to  Jehovah  our  God,  before  He  cause  darkness  and  before 
our  feet  stumble  upon  the  mountains  of  twilight "  (xiii.  i6). 

This  signifies  that  Divine  truth  must  be  acknowledged,  that  falsi- 
ties and  evils  therefrom  may  not  break  in  from  the  natural  man  ; 
"to  give  glory  to  God"  signifies  to  acknowledge  the  Divine  truth, 
"glory  "  in  the  Word  signifying  Divine  truth,  and  to  acknowledge 
it  and  live  according  to  it  is  the  glory  which  the  Lord  desires,  and 
which  is  to  be  given  to  Him.  "Before  He  cause  darkness"  signi- 
fies lest  falsities  take  possession,  "darkness"  meaning  falsities; 
"and  before  our  feet  stumble  upon  the  mountains  of  twilight" 
signifies  lest  evils  therefrom  out  of  the  natural  man  take  possession, 
"mountains  of  twilight"  meaning  evils  of  falsity,  for  "mountains" 
mean  evils,  and  it  is  "twilight"  when  truth  is  not  seen,  but  falsity 
instead,  and  "  feet"  signify  the  natural  man,  for  all  evils  and  the 
falsities  therefrom  are  in  the  natural  man,  because  that  man  by 
inheritance  is  moved  to  love  himself  more  than  God,  and  the 
world  more  than  heaven,  and  to  love  the  evils  adhering  to  those 
loves  from  parents.  These  evils  and  the  falsities  therefrom  can  be 
removed  only  by  means  of  Divine  truth  and  a  life  according  to  it ; 
by  these  means  the  higher  or  interior  mind  of  man,  which  sees 
from  the  light  of  heaven,  is  opened,  and  by  this  light  the  Lord 
disperses  the  evils  and  falsities  therefrom  that  are  in  the  natural 
mind.  (That  "feet"  signify  the  natural  man,  see  above,  n.  65,  69;  and  A.C.^ 
n.  2162,  3147,  3761,  3986,  4280,  4938-4952.) 

[t.]  [53.]  In  the  Gospels :  ■        ■  -" | 

Jesus  saith  unto  the  disciples,  "  Have  the  faith  of  God  ;  verily  I  say  unto 
you,  Whosoever  shall  say  unto  [this]  mountain.  Be  thou  taken  up 
and  cast  into  the  sea,  and  shall  not  doubt  in  his  heart,  but  shall  be- 
lieve that  those  things  which  he  saith  shall  come  to  pass,  what  he 
hath  said  shall  be  done  for  him  "  {Mark  xi.  22,  23  ;  Matt.  xvii.  20). 

One  who  is  ignorant  of  the  arcana  of  heaven  and  of  the  spiritual 
sense  of  the  Word  might  believe  that  the  Lord  said  this,  not  of 
saving  faith,  but  of  another  faith  that  is  called  historical  and  mira- 
culous ;   but  the  Lord  said  this  of  saving  faith,  which  faith  makes 


928  APOCALYPSE  EXPLAINED. 

one  with  charity  and  is  wliolly  from  the  Lord,  therefore  the  Lord 
calls  tills  faith  "the  faith  of  God  :"  and  because  it  is  by  this  faith, 
which  is  the  faith  of  charity  from  Him,  that  the  Lord  removes  all 
evils  flowing  from  the  loves  of  self  and  of  the  world  and  casts  them 
into  hell  from  vvhi'^h  ihey  came,  so  He  says,  "  Whosoever  shall  say 
unto  this  mountain,  Be  thou  taken  up  and  cast  into  the  sea,  what 
he  hath  ^md  sliall  be  done;"  for  "mountain"  signifies  the  evils 
of  those  loves,  and  "sea"  signifies  hell;  therefore  "to  say  to  a 
mountain.  Be  thou  taken  up,"  signifies  the  removal  of  those  evils, 
and  "  to  be  cast  into  the  sea  "  signifies  to  be  cast  down  into  hell 
from  which  they  came.  Because  of  this  signification  of  "mount- 
ain" and  "sea,"  this  came  to  be  a  common  expression  with  the 
ancients  when  the  power  of  faith  was  the  subjefl  of  discourse  ;  not 
that  that  power  can  cast  the  mountains  on  the  earth  into  the  sea, 
but  it  can  cast  out  evils  that  are  from  hell.  Moreover,  the  mount- 
ains in  the  spiritual  world  upon  which  the  evil  dwell  are  often  over- 
turned and  cast  down  by  faith  from  the  Lord  ;  for  when  the  e\ils 
with  such  are  cast  down,  the  mountains  upon  which  they  dwell  are 
also  cast  down,  as  has  been  frequently  said  before  ;  and  this  has 
often  been  seen  by  me.  That  no  other  faith  than  the  faith  of 
charity  from  the  Lord  is  here  meant  is  evident  from  what  follows 
in  the  Lord's  discourse  in  Mark,  where  it  is  said : 

"  Therefore  I  say  unto  you,  All  things  whatsoever  that  praying  ye  ask 
for,  believe  that  ye  are  to  receive,  and  it  shall  be  done  for  you. 
But  when  ye  stand  suplicating,  forgive,  if  ye  have  aught  against 
any,  that  your  Father  also  who  is  in  the  heavens  may  forgive  you 
your  trespasses.  But  if  ye  shall  not  forgive,  neither  will  your  Fa- 
ther who  is  in  the  heavens  forgive  your  trespasses  "  (xi.  24-26). 

This  makes  evident  that  "the  faith  of  God,"  of  which  the  Lord 
here  speaks,  is  the  faith  of  charity,  that  is,  the  faith  that  makes 
one  with  charity,  and  is  therefore  wholly  from  the  Lord.  More- 
over, the  Lord  said  these  things  to  the  disciples  when  they  sup- 
posed that  they  could  do  miracles  from  their  own  faith,  thus  from 
themselves  ;  nevertheless  such  things  are  done  by  faith  from  the 
Lord,  thus  by  the  Lord  (as  is  evident  from  Matthew  xvii.  19, 
20,  where  like  things  are  said).  [54.]  Because  "  mountains  "  sig- 
nified the  goods  of  celestial  love,  and  "  hills  "  the  goods  of  spiritual 
love,  the  ancients,  with  whom  the  church  was  representative,  had 
their  Pivine  worship  upon  mountains  and  hills,  and  Zion  was  upon 
a  mountain,  and  Jerusalem  on  high  places  below  it.  But  that  the 
Jews  and  Israelites,  who  were  given  to  idolatry,  might  not  turn  Di- 
vine worship  into  idolatrous  worship,  it  was  comanded  them  that 
they  should  have  their  worship  in  Jerusalem  only,  and  not  else- 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE    1 4. — N.  405[z'].  929 

where ;  but  because  they  were  idolaters  at  heart  they  were  not  con- 
tent to  have  their  worshi[)  in  Jerusalem,  hut  after  a  custom  of  the 
nations  derived  from  the  ancients  they  everywhere  held  worship 
upon  mountains  and  hills,  and  sacrificed  and  burnt  incense  there- 
on ;  and  because  this  was  idolatrous  with  them,  worship  from  evils 
and  falsities  was  signified  by  their  worship  upon  other  mountains 
and  hills  ;  as  in  the  following  passages.     In  Isaiah : 

"  Upon  a  high  and  lofty  mountain  hast  thou  set  thy  bed  ;  thither  also 
wentest  thou  up  to  sacrifice  sacrifices  "  (Ivii.  7). 

In  Hosea: 

"They  sacrifice  upon  the  tops  of  the  mountains,  and  bum  incense  upon 

the  hills  "  (iv.  13). 

In  yeroniah: 

"  Backsliding  Israel  is  gone  away  upon  every  high  mountain  and  under 
every  green  tree,  and  thou  hast  played  the  harlot "  (iii.  6). 

"To  play  the  harlot"  signifies  to  falsify  worship;  that  this  was 
idolatrous,  is  evident  from  these  words  in  Moses  .• 

"  Ye  shall  destroy  the  places  wherein  the  nations ....  served  their  gods, 
upon  the  [high]  mountains,  and  upon  the  hills,  and  under  every 
green  tree  "  {Dent.  xii.  2). 

In  these  passages,  therefore,  worship  upon  mountains  and  hills 
signifies  worship  from  evils  and  falsities.  From  this,  also,  it 
came  that  the  nations  in  Greece  placed  Helicon  on  a  high  mount- 
ain, and  Parnassus  on  a  hill  below  it,  and  believed  that  their  gods 
and  goddesses  dwelt  there ;  this  was  derived  from  the  ancients  in 
Asia,  and  especially  those  in  the  land  of  Canaan,  who  were  not 
far  away,  with  whom  all  worship  consisted  of  representati\'es. 
[5S.]    It  is  said  in  the  Gospels  : 

The  devil  took  Jesus  up  into  a  high  mountain,  and  showed  Him  all  the 
kingdoms  of  the  world  and  their  glory,  and  tempted  Him  there 
(Matt.  iv.  8  ;  Luke  iv.  5).. 

This  signifies  that  the  devil  tempted  the  Lord  through  the  love 
of  self,  for  this  is  what  "a  high  mountain"  signifies  ;  for  the  three 
temptations  described  in  these  passages  signify  and  involve  all 
the  temptations  that  the  Lord  endured  when  He  was  in  the  world  ; 
for  the  Lord,  by  temptations  admitted  into  Himself  from  the  hells 
and  by  vi6lories  in  them,  reduced  all  things  in  the  hells  to  order, 
and  also  glorified  His  Human,  that  is,  made  it  Divine.  All  the 
Lord's  temptations  were  described  so  briefly,  since  He  has  re\'ealed 
them  in  no  other  way  ;  but  yet  they  are  fully  described  in  the  in- 


930  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

teri'al  sense  of  the  Word.  (Respecting  the  I.onl's  temptations  sec  what  i«. 
cited  in   The  Dodriiie  of  the  Neiv  yerusalem,  n.  201,  293,  302.) 

406[#i].  Thus  far  it  has  been  shown  what  "mountain  "  sig- 
nifies ;  it  remains  to  be  shown  what  "  island  "  signifies,  for  it  is  said, 
"  Every  mountain  and  island  were  moved  out  of  their  places  ;"  and 
elsewhere, 

"Every  island  fled  away,  and  the  mountains  were  not  found"  {Apoc.  xvi.  20). 

"Islands"  in  the  Word  do  not  mean  islands  nor  those  who  dwell 
upon  islands,  but  the  natural  man  in  respe6l  to  the  truths  that  are 
in  it  is  meant,  and  thus,  in  an  abstract  sense,  the  truths  of  the 
natural  man  are  signified.  The  truths  of  the  natural  man  are 
ti'ue  knowledges  (scientijica),  which  are  under  the  cognizance  of  the 
rational  man,  and  knowledges  of  truth  which  are  under  the  cogniz- 
ance of  the  spiritual  man  ;  knowledges  of  truth  are  such  as  the  nat- 
ural man  knows  from  the  Word,  while  true  knowledges  (scientifica) 
are  such  as  the  natural  man  sees  from  the  rational,  and  by  which  he 
is  accustomed  to  corroborate  the  truths  of  the  church.  There  are 
in  man  two  minds,  one  higher  or  interior  which  is  called  the  spiritual 
mind,  and  the  other  lower  or  exterior  which  is  called  the  natural 
mind.  The  natural  mind  is  first  opened  and  cultivated  with  men, 
because  this  is  most  nearly  connected  with  the  world  ;  and  after- 
wards the  spiritual  mind  is  opened  and  cultivated,  but  only  to  the 
extent  that  man  receives  in  the  life  knowledges  of  truth  out  of  the 
Word,  or  out  of  dodlrine  from  the  Word  ;  consequently  with  those 
■who  do  not  apply  knowledges  to  the  life  it  is  not  opened.  But 
when  the  spiritual  mind  is  opened  the  light  of  heaven  flows  in 
through  that  mind  into  the  natural  mind  and  enlightens  it,  whereby 
the  natural  mind  becomes  spiritual-natural ;  for  the  spiritual  mind 
then  sees  in  the  natural  almost  as  a  man  sees  his  face  in  a  mirror, 
and  accepts  the  things  that  are  in  agreement  with  itself.  But  when 
the  spiritual  mind  is  not  opened,  as  is  the  case  with  those  who  do 
not  apply  to  their  life  the  knowledges  of  truth  and  good  that  are 
in  the  Word,  there  is  nevertheless  formed  in  man  a  mind  in  the 
inward  part  of  the  natural ;  but  this  mind  consists  of  mere  evils 
and  falsities ;  because  the  spiritual  mind,  by  which  the  light  of 
heaven  is  let  into  the  natural  by  a  direct  way  is  not  opened  ;  and 
[light  is  let  in]  only  through  chinks  round  about ;  from  this  a 
man  has  an  ability  to  think,  reason,  and  speak,  and  an  ability  to 
understand  truths,  but  not  an  ability  to  love  them,  or  to  do 
them  from  affeftion.  For  the  ability  to  love  truths  because  they 
are  truths  is  possible  only  through  an  influx  of  the  light  of  heaven 
through  the  spiritual  mind ;  for  the  light  of  heaven  through  the 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE    I4. — N.    406[<J].  93I 

spiritual  mind  is  conjoined  with  the  heat  of  heaven,  which  is  love, 
which  is  comparatively  like  the  light  of  the  world  in  the  time  of 
spring ;  but  the  light  of  hea\en  flowing  only  through  chinks  into 
the  natural  is  a  light  separated  from  the  heat  of  heaven  which  is 
love,  and  this  light  is  comparatively  like  the  light  of  the  world  in 
the  time  of  winter.  This  makes  clear  that  a  man  in  whom  the 
spiritual  mind  is  opened  is  like  a  garden  and  a  paradise ;  but  a 
man  in  whom  the  spiritual  mind  is  not  opened  is  like  a  wilderness, 
and  like  land  covered  with  snow.  Because  the  mind  makes  the 
man  (the  mind  consisting  of  understanding  and  will)  it  is  the  same 
whether  you  say  the  mind  or  the  man,  thus  whether  you  say  the 
spiritual  and  natural  mind  or  the  spiritual  and  natural  man. 

[6.]  The  natural  mind  or  natural  man,  in  respecl:  to  its  truths 
or  its  falsities,  is  signified  by  "islands"  in  the  Word,  in  respecl 
to  truths  in  those  in  whom  the  spiritual  mind  is  opened,  and 
in  respect  to  falsities  in  those  in  whom  the  spiritual  mind  is 
closed.  [2.]  That  these  are  signified  by  "islands"  can  be  seen 
from  the  following  passages  in  the  Word.      In  Ezekiel: 

"  Thus  said  the  Lord  Jehovih  to  Tyre  :  Shall  not  the  islands  tremble  at 
the  sound  of  thy  fall,  when  the  wounded  shall  groan,  when  the 
slaughter  shall  be  accomplished  in  the  midst  of  thee  ?     And  all  the 

princes  of  the  sea  shall  come  down  from  their  thrones The 

islands  shall  tremble  in  the  day  of  thy  fall,  and  the  islands  that  are 
in  the  sea  shall  be  troubled  at  thy  departure All  the  inhabit- 
ants of  the  islands  were  amazed  at  thee,  and  their  kings  were  hor- 
ribly afraid,  their  faces  were  troubled  "  (xxvi.  15, 16,  18  ;  xxvii.  35). 

These  two  chapters  treat  of  Tyre,  which  signifies  the  church  in 
respecl  to  knowledges  of  truth  and  good,  and  in  an  abstradt 
sense  knowledges  of  truth  and  good.  In  the  first  place  the  in- 
telligence and  wisdom  of  men  of  the  church  through  knowledges 
of  truth  and  good  from  the  Word  is  treated  of,  and  afterwards 
the  church  vastated  in  respe6l  to  these.  The  church  vastated  in 
resped  to  these,  that  is,  where  knowledges  of  truth  and  good 
have  perished,  is  described  by  what  is  said  by  the  prophet  in 
these  verses  ;  the  vastation  of  knowledges  of  truth  and  good  by 
"  when  the  wounded  shall  groan,  and  when  the  slaughter  shall  be 
accomplished  in  the  midst  of  thee,"  "the  wounded"  meaning 
those  in  whom  truths  are  exstinguished,  and  "  slaughter"  meaning 
the  very  extindion  of  truth  and  good.  That  all  knowledges 
that  man  from  his  infancy  has  imbibed  from  the  Word,  also 
all  true  knowledges  {scientifica)  by  which  he  has  corroborated 
them,  are  then  disturbed,  moved  out  of  their  place,  and  recede, 
is  signified  by  "  the  islands  shall  tremble,  and  all  the  princes  of 
the  sea  shall  come  down  from  their  thrones,"  also  by  "the  islands 
shall  tremble  in  the  day  of  thy  fall,  and  the  islands  that  are  in 


932  APOCALYPSE  EXPLAINED. 

the  sea  shall  be  troubled,"  "islands"  meaning  these  knowledges 
{cognitiones  et  scieniifica)  in  the  natural  man  ;  "princes  of  the  sea" 
primary  things  therein,  "sea"  signifying  the  natural  man  and 
all  things  therein  in  general.  That  all  goods  of  truth  of  the  nat- 
ural man,  because  of  the  vastation  of  knowledges  of  truth,  shall  be 
changed  as  to  their  state,  is  signified  by  "all  the  inhabitants  of  the 
islands  were  amazed  at  thee,  and  their  kings  were  afraid,  their 
faces  were  troubled,"  "inhabitants  of  the  islands"  mean  goods  of 
truth  of  the  natural  man,  for  "to  inhabit,"  in  the  Word,  signifies 
to  live,  and  "inhabitants"  goods  of  life ;  "kings  "mean  all  truths 
from  good  ;  "  faces  "  signify  the  interiors  and  the  affe6lions  ;  "  to  be 
amazed,"  "afraid,"  and  "troubled,"  signify  to  be  entirely  changed 
as  to  state.  This  makes  clear  what  these  things  involve  in  the  in- 
ternal sense,  namely,  that  all  knowledges  of  truth  and  good  and 
corroborating  knowledges  {scientifica)  that  man  from  infancy  has 
imbibed  from  the  Word  and  from  teachers,  will  change  their  places 
and  their  state  in  the  natural  man  and  perish  out  of  sight  when 
falsities  enter.     [3.]    In  Isaiah  : 

"  The  king  of  Assyria  shall  lead  the  captivity  of  Egypt  and  the  crowd 

of  Cush  that  is  to  be  carried  away  ; then  shall  they  be  dismayed 

and  ashamed  because  of  Cush  their  expedlation,  and  because  of 
Egypt  their  glory  ;  and  the  inhabitant  of  this  island  shall  say  in 
that  day,  Behold,  such  is  our  expedtation,  whither  we  flee  for  help 
to  be  rescued  from  before  the  king  of  Assyria ;  and  how  shall  we 
be  delivered?"  (xx.  4-6.) 

No  one  can  perceive  anything  about  the  church  in  these  words, 
but  only  something  obscurely  historical,  which  is  not  known  to 
have  occurred,  as  that  the  king  of  Assyria  will  lead  away  Egypt 
and  Cush  into  captivity,  and  that  the  dwellers  of  some  island 
would  grieve  in  heart  over  it ;  yet,  here  as  elsewhere,  some  church 
subjed  is  treated  of,  and  this  subjed  becomes  manifest  when  it  is 
known  that  "the  king  of  Assyria"  signifies  the  rational  perverted, 
and  its  reasoning  from  false  knowledges  {scientifica)  which  favor  the 
delight  of  natural  loves,  over  which  the  natural  man  grieves  be- 
cause it  is  perverted  thereby  ;  for  "the  king  of  Assyria  shall  lead 
the  captivity  of  Egypt  and  the  crowd  of  Cush  that  is  to  be  carried 
away"  signifies  that  the  perverted  rational  will  claim  to  itself  the 
knowledges  [scientifica)  of  the  natural  man,  and  will  confirm  itself 
by  these  and  by  its  delights,  which  these  favor,  "  king  of  Assyria  " 
meaning  the  rational  perverted,  "to  lead  the  captivity"  and  "to 
carry  away  the  crowd"  meaning  to  claim  for  itself  and  to  confirm 
itself  by  reasonings,  "Egypt"  meaning  the  knowing  faculty  {scien- 
iificum)  of  the  natural  man,  and  "  Cush  "  the  delight  which  it  favors. 
That  the  goods  of  truth  of  the  natural  man  grieve  on  this  account, 


) 

CHAP.   VI.,   VERSE    14. — N.  406[^].  933 

or  that  the  natural  man,  in  which  are  the  goods  of  truth,  grieves, 
is  signilied  by  all  the  things  that  follow,  namely,  that  "they  shall 
be  dismayed  and  ashamed  because  of  Cush  their  expe6lation,  and 
because  of  Egypt  their  glory ;  and  the  inhabitant  of  the  island 
shall  say  in  that  day,"  and  what  follows  ;  "inhabitant  of  the  island  " 
meaning  the  good  of  truth  of  the  natural  man,  or  the  natural  man 
in  whom  is  the  good  of  truth,  "inhabitant"  signifying  good,  and 
"island"  truth,  both  in  the  natural  man  (as  above).  That  there  is 
such  a  sense  in  these  words  can  hardly  be  believed,  and  yet  it  is 
there.    [4.]  In  the  same, 

"  These  shall  lift  up  their  voice,  they  shall  shout ;  for  the  majesty  of  Je- 
hovah they  shall  cry  out  from  the  sea ;  therefore  glorify  Jehovah 
in  urim,  the  name  of  [Jehovah]  the  God  of  Israel  in  the  islands  of 
the  sea"  (xxiv.  14,  15). 

This  chapter  treats  of  the  vastation  of  the  church,  and  in  these 
verses  of  the  establishment  of  a  new  church  among  the  nations ; 
.the  joy  of  these  is  described  by  "  They  shall  lift  up  their  voice,  they 
shall  shout  ;  for  the  majesty  of  Jehovah  they  shall  cry  out  from 
the  sea,"  or  from  the  west,  "  the  sea"  when  it  means  the  west  signi- 
fying the  natural,  for  the  reason  that  those  who  dwell  in  the  west- 
ern quarter  in  the  spiritual  world  are  in  natural  good,  while  those 
who  dwell  in  the  eastern  quarter  are  in  celestial  good  ;  and  as  the 
nations  of  whom  the  church  was  constituted  were  in  natural  good  it 
is  said  "glorify  Jehovah  in  urim,  the  name  of  the  God  of  Israel  in 
the  islands  of  the  sea,"  which  signifies  that  they  were  to  worship 
the  Lord  from  goods  and  truths  in  the  natural  man,  for  "urim  " 
means  a  fire  and  a  place  for  fire,  and  these  signify  the  good  of  love 
of  the  natural  man;  "the  islands  of  the  sea"  signify  knowledges 
of  truth  and  good,  which  are  the  truths  of  the  natural  man  ;  and 
"to  glorify"  signifies  to  worship  and  adore.  "Jehovah"  and 
"God  of  Israel"  mean  the  Lord,  who  is  called  "Jehovah"  where 
good  is  treated  of,  and  "  God  of  Israel "  where  truth  is  treated  of; 
it  is  therefore  said  "glorify  Jehovah  in  urim,"  that  is,  from  good, 
"  and  the  name  of  the  God  of  Israel  in  the  islands  of  the  sea,"  that 
is,  from  truths.  This  makes  clear  that  "islands  of  the  sea"  sig- 
nify the  truths  of  the  natural  man.     [5.]    In  the  same, 

"  He  shall  not  quench  nor  break  till  He  have  set  judgment  in  the  earth  ; 

and  the  islands  shall  hope  in  His  law Sing  unto  Jehovah  a 

new  song,  His  praise,  ye  end  of  the  earth,  ye  that  go  down  to  the 
sea,  its  fulness,  ye  islands  and  the  inhabitants  thereof.  Let  the 
desert  and  its  cities  lift  up  their  voice,  the  villages  that  Arabia  doth 
inhabit  ;  let  the  inhabitants  of  the  rock  sing,  let  them  cry  out  from 
the  top  of  the  mountains.  Let  them  give  glory  unto  Jehovah,  and 
declare  His  praise  in  the  islands  "  (xlii.  4,  10-12). 


934  APOCALYPSE  EXPLAINED. 

This,  too,  treats  of  the  Lord  and  of  a  new  church  to  be  established 
by  Him,  and  "islands"  mean  those  who  are  merely  in  truths  from 
the  natural  man,  and  are  therefore  as  yet  remote  from  true  wor- 
ship ;  so  "  till  He  have  set  judgment  in  the  earth,  and  the  islands 
shall  hope  in  His  law,"  signifies  until  He  shall  have  given  intelli- 
gence to  those  who  are  of  the  church,  and  knowledges  of  truth  to 
those  who  are  more  remote  from  the  church,  "to  set  judgment" 
meaning  to  give  intelligence,  "to  hope  in  the  law"  meaning  to 
give  knowledges  of  truth,  for  "the  earth"  signifies  those  who  are 
of  the  church,  and  in  an  abstra6l  sense  the  church  itself  in  re- 
spe6l  to  intelligence  from  spiritual  truths,  and  "islands"  signify 
those  who  are  remote  from  the  church,  and  in  an  abstra<5l  sense 
the  church  in  respe6l  to  knowledges  of  truth  and  good,  that  is, 
the  church  in  respect  to  the  truths  of  the  natural  man  that  corre- 
spond to  spiritual  truths.  "  Sing  unto  Jehovah  a  new  song,  His 
praise,  ye  end  of  the  earth,  ye  that  go  down  to  the  sea,  and  its  ful- 
ness, ye  islands  and  the  inhabitants  thereof,"  signifies  the  worship 
of  the  Lord  by  those  who  are  remote  from  the  church,  and  in 
an  abstra6l  sense,  the  worship  of  the  natural  man  from  truths 
and  goods,  "to  sing  a  song"  and  "to  praise"  signify  worship 
from  a  glad  mind,  "ye  end  of  the  earth"  signifies  those  who  are 
in  the  outmosts  of  the  church,  and  in  an  abstra6l  sense  its  out- 
mosts,  "the  sea  and  its  fulness"  signify  the  natural  man  and  all 
things  therein,  "islands  and  inhabitants"  signify  the  truths  and 
goods  of  the  natural  man, "  islands  "  its  truths,  and  "  inhabitants  "  its 
goods  (as  above).  What  is  signified  by  "let  the  desert  and  its  cities 
lift  up  their  voice,  and  the  villages  that  Arabia  doth  inhabit ;  let 
the  inhabitants  of  the  rock  sing,  let  them  cry  out  from  the  top  of  the 
mountains,"  see  above  (n.  405 [<?]), where  this  is  explained.  "Let  them 
give  glory  unto  Jehovah,  and  let  the  islands  dedare  His  praise," 
signifies  worship  from  internals  and  externals,  "to  give  glory" 
meaning  worship  from  internals,  and  "to  declare  praise "  worship 
from  externals,  for  externals  declare,  and  "  islands  "  mean  the  truths 
of  the  natural  man,  from  which  is  worship.     [6.]    In  the  same, 

"  Attend  unto  mc.  My  people,  and  give  ears  unto  Me,  O  My  nation  ;  for 
a  law  shall  go  forth  from  Me,  and  I  will  arouse  My  judgment  for 
a  light  of  the  peoples.  My  righteousness  is  near,  My  salvation  is 
gone  forth,  and  Mine  arms  shall  judge  the  peoples  ;  the  islands 
shall  hope  in  Me,  and  on  mine  arm  shall  they  trust "  (li.  4,  5). 

This  is  said  of  the  Lord  ;  "Attend  unto  Me,  My  people,  and  give 
ears  unto  Me,  O  My  nation,"  signifies  all  who  are  of  the  church 
who  are  in  truths  and  goods,  "people"  meaning  those  who  are 
in  truths  and  "nation"  those  who  are  in  goods.     It  is  said  'at- 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE    I4. — N.  406[<rJ.  935 

tend"  and  "give  ears,"  in  the  j)lural,  because  all  are  meant;  "A 
law  shall  go  forth  from  Me,  and  I  will  arouse  My  judgment  for  a 
hght  of  the  peoples,"  signifies  that  from  Him  are  Divine  good  and 
Divine  truth,  from  which  is  enlightenment,  "law"  signifying  the 
Divine  good  of  the  Word,  and  "judgment"  the  Divine  truth  of 
the  Word,  "for  a  light  of  the  people"  signifying  enlightenment. 
"  My  righteousness  is  near,  My  salvation  is  gone  forth,"  signifies 
the  judgment,  when  those  who  are  in  the  good  of  love  and  in  truths 
therefrom  are  saved,  "righteousness"  having  reference  to  the  sal- 
vation of  those  who  are  in  good  at  the  day  of  judgment,  and 
■"salvation  "  of  those  who  are  in  truths.  "  Mine  arms  shall  judge 
the  peoples"  signifies  judgment  upon  those  of  the  church  who  are 
in  falsities,  "peoples"  here  having  the  contrary  sense.  "The  is- 
lands shall  hope  in  Me,  and  on  Mine  arm  shall  they  trust,"  signifies 
the  approach  of  those  to  the  church  who  are  remote  from  the 
truths  of  the  church,  and  their  trust  in  the  Lord,  "islands"  signi- 
fying those  who  are  remote  from  the  truths  of  the  church  because 
they  are  in  natural  light  and  not  yet  in  spiritual  light  from  the 
Word,  and  "to  trust  on  His  arm"  signifies  trust  in  the  Lord  who 
has  all  power,  "  arm  "  in  reference  to  the  Lord  meaning  omnipo- 
tence.    [7.]    In  the  same, 

"  Hear,  O  islands, and  hearken,  ye  peoples  from  afar"  (xlix.  i). 

"Islands"  stand  for  those  who  are  in  truths,  and  "peoples  from 
afar"  for  those  who  are  in  goods,  and  in  an  abstra(?l;  sense,  truths 
and  goods,  both  in  the  natural  man;  "from  afar"  is  predicated 
'Of  the  goods  that  are  in  the  natural  man,  while  "near"  is  predi- 
cated of  the  goods  that  are  in  the  spiritual  man.  "  Peoples"  here 
signify  goods,  because  in  the  original  a  different  word  is  used  from 
that  which  signifies  truths  ;  for  this  word  is  also  applied  to  nations, 
whereby  goods  are  signified  (as  is  evident  from  the  same  word  in 
Genesis  xxv.  23). 

[c]    [8.]  In  yeremiah: 

"  Hear  the  Word  of  Jehovah,  ye  nations,  and  declare  it  in  the  islands 
afar  off  "  (xxxi.  10). 

'Nations"  stand  for  those  who  are  in  goods,  and  in  an  abstract 
sense  for  goods;  and  "islands"  for  those  who  are  in  truths,  and 
in  an  abstradl  sense,  for  truths  in  the  natural  man  ;  "afar  ofT"  sig- 
nifies remote  from  the  truths  of  the  church,  which  are  spiritual  (that 

"afar  off"  has  this  signification,  see  ^.C,  n.  8918).      But   these   words    in    a 

purely  spiritual  sense,  signify  that  the  internal  man  shall  teach  the 
external,  or  the  spiritual  the  whole  natural  man,  the  truths  of  the 


936  APOCALYPSE   EXPLAINED. 

Word,  fur  it  is  this  that  "the  nations  declare  in  tlic  islands  afar 
off;"  but  this  pure  sense,  which  is  for  angels,  is  with  difficulty 
perceived  by  men,  for  it  is  with  difficulty  that  men  can  think  ab- 
stractedly from  persons  and  places,  for  the  reason  that  the  thought 
of  men  is  natural,  and  natural  thought  differs  from  sj)iritual  thought 
in  this,  that  it  is  tied  down  to  places  and  j)ersons  and  is  conse- 
quently more  limited  than  the  spiritual.  And  this  is  why  many 
things  that  have  been  explained  will  perhaps  with  difficulty  fall 
into  the  ideas  of  the  thought  of  those  who  keep  the  sight  of  the 
mind  fixed  on  the  sense  of  the  words.     [9.]    In  David  : 

"  The  kings  of  Tarshish  and  of  the  islands  shall  bring  a  gift ;  the  kings 
of  Sheba  and  Seba  shall  offer  a  gift"  {_Fs.  Ixxii.  lo). 

This  is  said  of  the  Lord,  and  "to  bring  and  offer  a  gift"  means 
to  worship;  and  "kings  of  Tarshish  and  of  the  islands"  mean 
the  interior  and  exterior  truths  of  the  natural  man,  "kings  of 
Tarshish"  its  interior  truths,  and  "islands"  its  exterior  truths; 
"kings  of  Sheba  and  Seba"  mean  the  interior  and  exterior  goods 
of  the  natural  man,  "  Sheba  "  its  interior  goods,  and  "  Seba  "  its  ex- 
terior goods.  By  the  truths  of  the  natural  man  knowledges  of  truth 
are  meant,  and  by  the  goods  of  the  natural  man  the  knowledges 

of  good  are  meant.  (That  these  are  meant  by  "  isheba  and  Seba,"  see  A.C., 
n.  1171,  3240;  and  that  the  interior  truths  of  the  natural  man  are  meant  by  "Tar- 
shish," see  just  below.)  And  because  these  are  meant,  those  who  are 
in  the  knowledges  of  truth  and  good  are  also  meant.  [10.]  In 
Isaiah  : 

"  Who  are  these  that  fly  as  clouds,  and  as  doves  to  their  windows  ?  Be- 
cause the  islands  shall  trust  in  Me,  and  the  ships  of  Tarshish  in  the 
beginning,  to  bring  thy  sons  from  far"  (Ix.  8,  9). 

This,  too,  is  said  of  the  Lord,  and  it  signifies  that  those  will  re- 
ceive and  and  acknowledge  Him  who  are  in  simple  truth  and 
good,  who  are  such  as  perceive  the  truths  of  the  Word  in  a  nat- 
ural way,  that  is,  according  to  the  sense  of  the  letter,  and  do  them,, 
"islands"  signifying  those  who  perceive  the  Word  in  a  natural 
way,  that  is,  according  to  the  sense  of  the  letter,  "ships  of  Tar- 
shish in  the  beginning"  meaning  the  goods  that  they  bring  forth 
and  do,  for  "Tarshish"  signifies  the  natural  man  in  respeCI:  to 
knowledges,  and  "Tarshish  in  the  beginning"  the  natural  man 
in  respe6f  to  knowledges  of  good,  because  Tarshish  abounded  in 
gold  and  silver,  and  these  the  ships  carried  away  (i  Kings  x.  22)  ; 
at  first,  gold,  which  signifies  good ;  and  as  truths  are  from  good 
it  is  also  said  "to  bring  thy  sons  from  far."  And  as  "islands"  and 
"  ships  of  Tarshish "  signify  the  knowledges  of  truth  and  good 
of  the  natural  man,  it  is  said,  "Who  are  these  that  fly  as  clouds 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE   14.— N.  406[f].  937 

and  as  doves  to  their  windows?"  "clouds"  signifying  the  truths 
of  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word,  "doves"  the  goods  there- 
in, and  "windows"  truths  from  good  in  light.     (That  "ships"  signify 

knowledges  of  truth  and  good  from  the  Word,  see  ^.C,  n.  1977,  6385;  and  that 
"  windows  "  signify  truths  in  hght,  and  therefore  the  intelledlual,  n.  655,  658,  3391.) 

[II.]    In  the  same, 

"  Howl,  ye  ships  of  Tarshish  ;  for  Tyre  is  laid  waste,  so  that  there  is  no 
house,  nor  doth  any  one  enter;  from  the  land  of  Kittim  it  shall 
plainly  come  to  them.  The  inhabitants  of  the  island  are  silent, 
the  merchant  of  Zidon  passeth  over  the  sea,  they  have  filled  thee. 
. . .  .Blush,  O  Zidon,  for  the  sea  saith,  the  stronghold  of  the  sea, 
I  have  not  travailed,  neither  brought  forth  ;  I  have  not  trained  up 
young  men,  I  have  not  brought  up  virgins.  When  the  report 
comes  from  Egypt  they  shall  be  seized  with  grief,  as  at  the  re- 
port respe<5ting  Tyre.  Pass  ye  over  into  Tarshish  ;  howl,  ye  inhab- 
itants of  the  island"  (xxiii.  I,  2,  4-6). 

This  describes  the  desolation  of  truth  in  the  church;  for  "ships 
of  Tarshish"  signify  knowledges  of  good  from  the  Word,  and 
"Tyre"  knowledges  of  truth  therefrom.  That  there  is  no  good 
because  there  are  no  truths  is  signified  by  "  Howl,  ye  ships  of 
Tarshish,  for  Tyre  is  laid  waste,  so  that  there  is  no  house,  nor 
doth  any  one  enter,"  that  falsities  then  enter  until  there  are  no 
longer  any  goods  of  truth  and  truths  of  good  in  the  natural  man, 
is  signified  by  "  from  the  land  of  Kittim  it  shall  plainly  come  to 
them  ;  the  inhabitants  of  the  island  are  silent,  the  merchant  of 
Zidon  passeth  over  the  sea,  they  have  filled  thee;"  "the  land 
of  Kittim"  signifies  falsities,  "inhabitants  of  the  island"  signify 
goods  of  truth  in  the  natural  man  (as  above),  "the  merchant  of 
Zidon"  signifies  knowledges  from  the  Word,  "passeth  over  the 
sea"  signifies  which  are  in  the  natural  man;  "they  have  filled 
thee"  (that  is,  the  ships  of  Tarshish)  signifies,  they  have  enriched 
thee  by  them.  The  vastation  of  truth  and  good  in  the  natural 
man  is  further  described  by  "  Blush,  O  Zidon,  for  the  sea  said, 
the  stronghold  of  the  sea,  I  have  not  travailed,  neither  brought 
forth ;  I  have  not  trained  up  young  men,  I  have  not  brought  up 
virgins  ;"  "  Zidon,"  as  well  as  "  Tyre,"  signifies  knowledges  of  truth 
and  good  in  the  church  ;  "  the  sea,  the  stronghold  of  the  sea,"  signi- 
fies the  whole  natural  man  ;  "  I  have  not  travailed,  neither  brought 
forth,"  signifies  that  there  is  nothing  of  the  church  conceived 
or  generated  ;  "  young  men  "  signify  affections  for  truth,  and  "vir- 
gins" affedlions  for  good.  That  this  took  place  because  know- 
ledges from  the  Word  and  corroborating  knowledges  (scientifica) 
were  applied  to  falsities  and  evils  is  signified  by  "  when  the  report 
comes  from  Egypt  they  shall  be  seized  with  grief,  as  at  the  re- 
port respecting  Tyre,"  "Egypt"  signifying  knowledges  (sc-ientijica), 
"Tyre,"  knowledges  from    the    Word,  here  those  vastated   by 


93^  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

falsiticj  and  evils  Lo  which  they  have  been  applied ;  and  as  there 
is  lamentation  on  this  account  it  is  said  "they  shall  be  seized 
with  grief."  That  all  good  in  the  natural  man  and  all  truth  there 
would  thus  perish  is  signified  by  "pass  ye  over  into  Tarshish  ; 
howl,  ye  inhabitants  of  the  island,"  "  Tarshish  "signifying  interior 
goods  and  truths  in  the  natural  man,  "  inhabitants  of  the  island  " 
signifying  exterior  goods  and  truths  therein  (as  above),  "to  howl" 
signifying  grief  on  account  of  vastation. 
[ci.]  [12.]    In  Jeremiah  : 

"I  took  the  cup  out  of  Jehovah's  hand,  and  made  all  the  nations  to 
drink,  unto  whom  Jehovah  sent  me,.  . .  .all  the  kings  of  Tyre,  and 
all  the  kings  of  Zidon,  and  the  kings  of  the  island  which  is  in  the 
crossing  of  the  sea  "  (xxv.  17,  22). 

Many  nations  are  enumerated  in  this  chapter  that  are  not  cited 
here,  all  of  which  signify  goods  and  truths  of  the  church  in  gen- 
eral and  in  particular  that  are  vastated ;  and  the  kings  of 
Tyre  and  Zidon"  signify  knowledges  of  truth  and  good  from  the 
Word  in  the  natural  man ,;  ibr  all  knowledges  of  truth  and  good, 
so  far  as  they  are  knowledges,  are  in  the  natural  man  ;  they  be- 
come truths  and  goods  when  there  is  a  life  according  to  them, 
because  it  is  by  means  of  the  life  that  they  are  received  in  the 
spiritual  man.  "  The  kings  of  the  island  which  is  in  the  crossing 
of  the  sea"  signify  knowledges  of  truth  in  the  outmost  of  the 
natural  man,  which  is  called  the  natural-sensual,  because  through 
this  there  is  a  crossing  into  the  interiors  of  the  natural  man,  "  sea  " 
signifying  the  natural  man  in  general  (see  above,  n.  275,  342).  The 
vastation  of  these  things  is  meant  by  "the  cup  of  Jehovah"  which 
the  prophet  made  the  nations  to  drink.     [13.]  In  the  same  : 

"  Because  of  the  day  that  cometh  to  lay  waste  all  the  Philistines,  to  cut 
off  from  Tyre  and  Zidon  every  helper  that  remaineth  ;  for  Jehovah 
layeth  waste  the  Philistines,  the  remnant  of  the  island  of  Caphtor" 
(xlvii.  4). 

"  The  Philistines  "  mean  those  who  are  in  faith  alone,  that  is,  in  faith 
separate  from  charity,  therefore  they  are  called  "  the  uncircumcised," 
.which  signifies  that  they  have  no  charity  (see  A.c,  n.  2049,  3412,  3413, 
8093,  8313) ;  "to  cut  off  from  Tyre  and  Zidon  every  helper  that  re- 
maineth" signifies  that  they  have  no  knowledge  of  truth  and  good, 
"the  helper  that  remaineth"  signifying  that  they  are  no  longer 
concordant.  "The  remnant  of  the  island  of  Caphtor"  has  a  like 
:signification.     [14.]    In  the  same  : 

"  Pass  over  into  the  islands  of  the  Kittim  and  see  ;  send  into  Arabia  and 
consider  well,  and  see  whether  there  hath  been  such  a  thing,  whether 
a  nation  hath  changed  gods"  (ii.  10,  ll). 


CHAP.   VI.,  VERSE    I4. — N.  4o6[^].  939 

"To  pass  over  and  to  send  into  the  islands  of  the  Kittini  and  into 
Arabia"  does  not  signify  to  send  to  those  places,  but  to  all  who 
live  naturally  in  truths  and  goods  according  to  their  religion, 
"  islands  of  the  Kittim  "  meaning  where  those  are  who  li\'e  nat- 
urally in  truths,  and  "Arabia"  where  those  are  who  live  naturally 
in  goods,  that  is,  according  to  their  religion.  "The  Kittim"  and 
"Arabia"  signify  such  persons  and  things;  for  all  who  do  not 
have  the  Word  or  any  revelation  from  heaven,  and  live  according 
to  their  religion,  live  naturally  ;  while  to  live  spiritually  is  to  live 
solely  in  accordance  with  truths  and  goods  from  the  Word  and 
from  revelation  out  of  heaven.     [15.]   In  Zcphaniah: 

"Jehovah  will  be  terrible  upon  them  ;  for  He  will  famish  all  the  gods 
of  the  nations,  that  they  may  worship  Him,  every  one  from  his 
place,  all  the  islands  of  the  nations,  ye  Kushites  also,  slain  by  My 
sword  shall  they  be"  i^ii.  11,  12). 

This,  in  the  internal  sense,  signifies  that  falsities  of  evil  will  be  dis- 
persed, and  truths  and  goods  given  to  those  who  are  in  falsities 
indeed,  but  not  in  falsities  of  evil.  "  The  gods  of  the  nations  that 
He  will  famish  "  signify  falsities  ot  evil,  "  gods  "  signifying  falsities, 
"nations"  evils,  and  "to  famish  "  to  remove  evils  from  falsities; 
"  islands  of  the  nations  "  and  "  Kushites  "  signify  those  who  are  in 
falsities  indeed,  but  not  in  falsities  of  evil ;  and  in  an  abstra6l  sense 
they  signify  falsities,  but  not  falsities  of  evil ;  and  as  falsities  not 
of  evil  are  in  the  natural  man,  "islands  of  the  nations"  signify  the 
natural  man  in  respecfl;  to  such  falsities,  or  in  respe6l  to  falsities  in 
the  natural  man;    these  falsities  are  signified   by  "slain   by  My 

sword."  (Respe(5ling  falsities  of  evil,  and  falsities  not  of  evil,, see  Do£lrine  of  the 
New  Jerusalem,  x\.  11.)      [16.]    In  David  : 

"  He  shall  have  dominion  from  sea  to  sea,  and  from  the  river  even  unto 
the  ends  of  the  earth.  The  islands  shall  bow  before  Him  ;  and  His 
enemies  shall  lick  the  dust "  {Psalm  Ixxii.  8,  9). 

This  is  said  respeding  the  Lord ;  and  "  to  have  dominion  from 
sea  to  sea,  and  from  the  river  even  unto  the  ends  of  the  earth," 
means  His  dominion  over  all  things  of  heaven  and  the  church  ;  for 
the  boundaries  in  the  spiritual  world  are  seas,  and  the  interme- 
diate regions  are  lands,  where  there  are  habitations  for  angels  and: 
spirits  ;  therefore  "from  sea  to  sea"  signifies  all  things  of  heaven, 
and  because  all  things  of  heaven,  it  signifies  also  all  things  of  the 
church  ;  for  goods  of  love  and  truths  therefrom  are  what  constitute 
both  heaven  and  the  church,  so  "from  sea  to  sea"  signifies  also  all 
things  of  the  church.  All  things  of  heaven  and  of  the  church  are 
signified  by  "from  the  river  even  unto  the  ends  of  the  earth;" 


940  APOCALYPSE    EXIM.AINKI). 

but  this  signifies  all  things  of  heaven  and  of  the  church  in  respedt 
to  truths, while  "from  sea  to  sea"  signifies  all  things  of  heaven  and 
of  the  church  in  resjiecl  to  goods  ;  for  in  the  spiritual  world  the 
seas  are  the  boundaries  of  the  land  east  and  west,  and  in  the  lands 
from  the  east  to  the  vilest  those  dwell  who  are  in  the  good  of  love ; 
while  "the  river"  means  the  first  boundary,  and  "the  ends  of  the 
earth"  the  last  boundaries  from  south  to  north,  where  those  dwell 
who  are  in  truths  from  good  ;  these  boundaries  were  represented 
in  respe<5t  to  the  land  of  Canaan  by  the  rivers  Jordan  and  Euphrates. 
Because  the  places  that  are  about  the  last  boundaries  are  meant  by 
"islands,"  these  signify  truths  in  last  things  ;  and  these,  although 
they  are  not  truths,  are  accepted  as  truths  ;  for  genuine  truths  are 
diminished  from  the  midst  towards  the  borders,  since  those  who  are 
about  the  borders  are  in  natural  light,  and  not  so  much  in  spiritual 
light.  "  Enemies"  signify  evils,  of  whom  it  is  said  that  they  "shall 
lick  the  dust,"  that  is,  that  they  are  damned.     [17.]   In  the  same : 

"  Jehovah  reigneth  ;  the  earth  shall  rejoice  ;  many  islands  shall  be  joy- 
ful "  {Psalm  xcvii.  i). 

This  signifies  that  the  church  where  the  Word  is  and  the  church 
where  the  Word  is  not,  consequently  those  who  are  in  spiritual 
truths  and  those  who  are  in  truths  not  spiritual,  shall  rejoice  over 
the  Lord's  kingdom.  "The  earth"  signifies  the  church  where 
the  Word  is,  and  "islands"  the  church  where  the  Word  is  not, 
consequently  those  who  are  far  away  from  spiritual  truths  ;  for  the 
truths  of  the  Word  only  are  spiritual,  whereas  those  who  are  out- 
side the  church,  as  they  do  not  have  the  truths  of  the  Word,  have 
only  natural  truths  ;  this  is  why  they  are  called  "  islands."  [18.]  By 
"islands"  in  the  Word  certain  islands  of  the  sea  are  not  meant, 
but  places  in  the  spiritual  world  inhabited  by  those  who  have  a 
natural  acquisition  of  knowledges  that  in  some  measure  agree  with 
the  knowledges  of  truth  and  good  that  are  in  the  Word ;  and 
these  places  sometimes  appear  there  as  islands  in  a  sea;  so  in 
an  abstra6i:  sense,  "  islands  "  signify  the  truths  of  the  natural  man. 
This  is  so  called  from  a  sea  in  which  there  are  islands,  for  "the 
sea  "  signifies  the  generals  of  truth,  or  the  truths  of  the  natural  man 
in  general.     This  is  the  signification  of  "islands"  in  Genesis: 

"The  sons  of  Javan  were  Elisha  and  Tarshish,  Kittim  and  Dodanim. 
From  these  were  the  islands  of  the  nations  separated  in  their  lands ; 
every  one  after  his  tongue,  after  their  families,  in  their  nations  " 

(X.  4.  5)- 

And  in  Isaiah  : 

"  He  will  come  to  gather  all  nations  and  tongues  that  they  may  come 
and  see  My  glory ;  and  I  will  set  a  sign  among  them,  and  I  will 
send  those  of  them  that  escape  unto  the  nations,  to  Tarshish,  Pul, 


CHA!'.    VI.,   COiXTENTS    VERSES    15-17. — N.  407.  94I 

and  Lud,  that  draw  the  bow,  to  Tubal,  and  Javan,  to  the  islands 
afar  ofif,  that  have  not  heard  My  fame  neither  have  seen  My  glory ; 
and  they  shall  declare  My  glory  among  the  nations"  (Ixvi.  18,  19; 
likewise  xi.  10,  11). 

[_€•]  [19.]  As  most  things  in  the  Word  have  also  a  contrary 
sense,  so  have  islands  ;  and  in  this  sense  "islands"  signify  falsities 
opposed  to  truths  in  the  natural  man.  In  this  sense  "  islands  "  are 
mentioned  in  the  following  passages.     In  Isaiah  : 

"  I  will  make  waste  mountains  and  hills  and  dry  up  all  their  herbage  ; 
and  I  will  make  the  rivers  islands,  and  I  will  dry  up  the  pools  " 
(xlii.  15,  16). 

This  may  be  seen  explained  in  the  preceding  article  (n.  405[A]). 
In  Ezekiel: 

"  I  will  send  a  fire  upon  Magog,  and  upon  the  secure  inhabitants  of  the 
islands  "  (xxxix.  6). 

In  Isaiah : 

"  [He  will  repay]  anger  to  His  adversaries,  retribution  to  His  enemies  ; 
to  the  islands  He  will  repay  retribution"  (lix.  18). 

In  the  same : 

"  Behold,  the  nations  are  as  a  drop  of  a  bucket,  and  are  counted  as  the 
dust  of  the  balance :  behold,  He  taketh  up  the  islands  as  a  very 
little  thing"  (xl.  15). 

*'  Nations  "  here  stand  for  evils,  and  "  the  islands  "  for  falsities.     In 
the  same : 

"  Keep  silence,  O  islands  ;  let  the  peoples  renew  their  strength  ;  let 
them  draw  near,  then  let  them  speak :   let  us  come  near  together 

for  judgment The  islands  saw  and  feared  ;   the  ends  of  the 

earth  trembled"  (xli.  i,  5). 

VERSES  15-17. 

^O^*  "And  the  kings  of  the  earth,  and  the  great  ones,  and  the  rich,  and  the  uom- 
manders  of  thousands,  and  the  mighty,  and  every  servant,  and  every  freeman,  hid  them- 
selves in  caves,  and  in  the  rocl<s  of  the  mountains.  And  they  said  to  the  mountains  and  to 
the  rocks,  Fall  on  us,  and  hide  us  from  the  face  of  Him  that  sitteth  on  the  throne,  and  from 
the  anijer  of  the  Lamb.     For  the  great  day  of  His  anger  is  come,  and  who  is  able  to  stand?" 

15.  "And  the  kings  of  the  earth,  and  the  great  ones,  and  the  rich,  and  the 

commanders  of  thousands,  and  the  mighty,"  signifies  all  internal  goods 
and  truths,  and  all  external  goods  and  truths,  bv  nieatts  of  ivhic/i  are 
-ioisdoni  and  intelligence  [n.  408]  ;  "and  every  servant  and  every  free- 
man" signifies  the  )iatural  /nan  and  the  spiritual  man  [n.  40g]  ;  "hid 
themselves  in  cives,  and  in  the  roc/cs  of  the  mountains."  signifies  truths 
and  goods  destroyed  by  ei'ils  of  life,  and  by  falsities  therefrom  [n.  410]. 

16.  "And  they  said  to  the  mountains  and  rocks.  Fall  on  ws,"  signifies  to  be  covered 

over  by  evils  and  by  falsities  therefrom  [n.  41  i]  ;  "and  hide  US  from 
the  face  of  Him  that  sitteth  on  the  throne,  and  from  the  anger  of  the 
Lamb,"  signifies  lest  they  should  suffer  direful  things  f/'otn  the  influx  of 
Divine  good  united  to  Divine  truth  going  forth  from  the  Lord  [n.  412]. 

17.  "For  the  great  day  of  His  anger  is  come"  signifies  last  judgment  upon  the 

evil  [n.  413]  ;  "and  who  is  able  to  stand?"  signifies  rc-Ao  shall  live  and 
hear  it?  [n.  414.] 


942  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

408«  [Tiv-r.?  is]  "  And  ihe  kings  of  the  earth,  and  the  great 
ones,  and  ihe  rich,  and  the  commanders  of  thousands,  and  ihe 
mighty,"  siiLi;^nilv  a/l  intcnia/  iioods  and  truths,  and  all  txternat 
goods  and  truths,  by  means  of  luliich  arc  'cuisdoni  and  intelligence. 
—This  is  evident  from  the  signification  of  "kings,"  as  meaning 
truths  from  good  in  their  whole  complex  (of  which  above,  n.  31)  ;  from 
the  signification  of  "great  ones,  anr'  the  rich,"  as  meaning  internal 
goods  and  truths  (of  which  presently) ;  li(  ,m  the  signification  of  "  com- 
manders of  thousands  and  the  mighty  "  aa  meaning  external  goods 
and  truths,   "commanders  of  thousands"  meaning  such  goods, 
and  "the  mighty"  such  truths  (of  which  also  presently).     It  is  added, 
by  means  of  which  are  wisdo77i  and  intelligence,  because  from  in- 
ternal goods  and  truths,  which  are  spiritual  goods  and    truths, 
there  is  wisdom,  and  from  external  goods  and  truths,  which  are 
natural  goods    and   truths   from  spiritual,  there   is   intelligence. 
Wisdom  differs  from  intelligence  in  this,  that  wisdom  is  from  the 
light  of  heaven,  and  intelligence  from  the  light  of  the  world  en- 
lightened by  the  light  of  heaven  ;  this  is  why  wisdom  is  predicated 
of  spiritual  goods  and  truths,  and   intelligence  of  natural  goods 
and  truths  ;  for  spiritual  goods  and  truths  are  from  the  light  of 
heaven,  because  the  spiritual  mind  or  the  internal  mind  is  in  the 
light  of  heaven  ;  and  natural  goods  and  truths  are  from  the  light  of 
the  world,  because  the  natural  or  external  mind  is  in  the  light  of  the 
world  ;  but  so  far  as  this  mind  receives  the  light  of  heaven  through 
the  spiritual  mind,  so  far  it  is  in  intelligence.     He  who  supposes 
that  intelligence  is  from  the  light  of  the  world  only,  which  is  called 
natural  light,  is  much  deceived.     Intelligence  means  seeing  from 
oneself  goods  and  truths,  whether  civil,  moral,  or  spiritual,  while 
seeing  them  from  another  is  not  intelligence  but  knowledge  {scien- 
Ha).   Yet  that  it  maybe  known  how  these  things  are  to  be  under- 
stood, see  what  is  said  in  a  preceding  article  (n.  4o6[a]),  namely, 
that  man  has  two  minds,  the  one  spiritual  or  internal,  the  other 
natural  or  external,  and  that  the  spiritual  or  internal   mind  is 
opened  in  those  who  apply  the  goods  and  truths  of  the  Word 
to  the  life,  while  in  those  who  do  not  apply  the  goods  and  truths 
of  the  Word  to  the  life,  that  mind  is  not  opened,  but  only  the  nat- 
ural or  external  mind  ;  such  are  called  natural  men,  but  the  for- 
mer spiritual.     To  this  let  it  be  added,  that  so  far  as  the  spiritual 
or  internal  mind  is  opened,  spiritual  light,  which  is  the  light  of 
heaven,  flows  in  through  it  from  the  Lord  into  the  natural  or 
external  mind,  and  enlightens  that  mind  and  gives  intelligence. 
The  goods  and  truths   that  constitute  the  spiritual   or  internal 
mind   are  meant  by  "the  great  ones  and  the  rich,"  goods  by 
"the  great  ones,"  and  truths  by  "the  rich;"  and  the  goods  and 


CHAP.   VI.,  VERSE    1 5. — N.  408.  943 

truths  that  constitute  the  natural  or  external  mind  are  meant  by 
"the  commanders  of  thousands  and  the  mighty,"  these  goods 
by  "  the  commanders  of  thousands,"  and  these  truths  by  "  the 
mighty."  This  makes  clear  that  these  words,  in  the  internal  sense, 
include  all  things  that  are  in  man  ;  for  the  extin6lion  of  all  these 
is  treated  of  in  what  follows.  All  things  in  man  as  well  as  all 
things  in  the  universe  have  reference  to  good  and  truth  ;  it  is  from 
these  and  according  to  these  that  man  has  all  wisdom  and  intelli- 
gence. [2.]  He  who  looks  only  to  the  sense  of  the  letter  can- 
not see  otherwise  than  that  kings  and  the  chief  men  in  their 
kingdoms  are  here  meant,  and  that  so  many  are  mentioned  in 
order  to  exalt  that  sense  ;  but  in  the  Word  no  least  word  is  mean- 
ingless, for  the  Divine  is  in  all  things  and  in  everything  of  the 
Word.  So  these  must  mean  things  Divine,  which  are  of  heaven 
and  the  church,  and  which  are  called,  in  general,  celestial  and 
spiritual,  and  from  these  the  Word  is  celestial  and  spiritual  Divine. 
Moreover,  the  Word  was  given  that  by  it  there  may  be  a  con- 
jundlion  of  heaven  with  the  church,  that  is,  of  angels  of  heaven 
with  men  of  the  church  isee  Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  303-310) ;  and  such 
conjun6lion  would  not  be  possible  if  nothing  else  were  meant 
by  these  words  than  what  stands  forth  in  the  sense  of  the  letter, 
namely,  that  kings  of  the  earth,  great  ones,  the  rich,  commanders 
of  thousands,  and  the  mighty,  also  every  servant  and  every 
freeman,  were  to  hide  themselves  in  caves  and  in  the  rocks  of  the 
mountains,  for  these  are  natural  things  ;  but  when  spiritual  things 
are  at  the  same  time  understood  by  these  there  is  conjunction. 
In  no  other  way  could  angels  be  conjoined  with  men,  for  angels 
are  spiritual  because  they  are  in  the  spiritual  world  and  thus  both 
think  spiritually  and  speak  spiritually  ;  while  men  are  natural,  be- 
cause they  are  in  the  natural  world,  and  thus  think  naturally  and 
speak  naturally.  All  this  is  said  to  make  known  that  "kings  of 
the  earth,  great  ones,  the  rich,  commanders  of  thousands,  and 
the  mighty,"  signify  also  things  spiritual.  That  these  mean  spir- 
itual things,  namely,  "great  ones  and  the  rich"  internal  goods 
and  truths,  and  "commanders  of  thousands  and  the  mighty" 
external  goods  and  truths,  can  be  seen  from  their  signification 
where  they  are  mentioned  in  the  Word.  [3.]  "  Great  ones  "  in 
the  Word  signify  internal  goods,  which  are  the  goods  of  the 
internal  or  spiritual  man,  because  "great"  and  "greatness"  in  the 
Word  are  predicated  of  good,  and  "many"  and  "multitude"  of 
truth  (see  above,  n.  336[a],  337).  Internal  goods  are  signified  by 
"great  ones,"  because  these  four,  namely,  "great  ones,"  "the 
rich."  "commanders  of  thousands,"  and  "  the  mighty"  signify  all 


94-1  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

the  goods  and  trullis  that  are  in  man,  thus  the  goods  and  truths 
both  of  the  internal  or  sj)iritual  man  and  of  the  external  or  natural 
man,  "great  ones  and  the  rich"  meaning  the  goods  and  truths 
of  the  internal  or  spiritual  man,  and  "commanders  of  thousands 
and  the  mighty"  the  goods  and  truths  of  the  external  or  natiual 
man  ;  so  it  is  added,  "every  servant  and  every  freeman,"  "serv- 
ant" signifying  the  external  of  man,  which  is  called  the  natural 
man,  and  "freeman"  the  internal  of  man,  which  is  called  the 
spiritual  man.  Like  things  are  signified  by  "great  ones"  else- 
where in  the  Word 

r       (namely,  in  Jeremiah  v.  5  ;  in  Nahutn  iii.  10  ;  and  in  Jonah  iii.  7). 

That  "the  rich"  signify  internal  truths,  which  are  spiritual  truths, 
or  those  who  are  in  such  truths,  is  evident  from  what  has  been 
shown  above  (n.  118,  236).  That  "commanders  of  thousands" 
signify  external  goods,  which  are  goods  of  the  natural  man,  has 
also  been  shown  above  (n.  336) ;  it  is  therefore  unnecessary  to 
say  more  respe6ling  these.  That  "the  mighty  "  signify  external 
truths,  or  truths  of  the  natural  man,  is  evident  from  many  passages 
in  the  Word,  where  "the  mighty"  and  "the  strong,"  likewise 
"power"  and  " strength "  are  mentioned;  this  is  because  truths 
from  good,  and  indeed  truths  that  are  in  the  natural  man,  have 
all  power.  Truths  from  good  are  what  have  all  power,  because 
good  does  not  a6t  of  itself,  but  by  truths,  for  good  forms  itself  into 
truths,  and  clothes  itself  with  them,  as  the  soul  does  with  a  body, 
and  so  a61;s  ;  it  a61;s  by  truths  in  the  natural  man,  because  there 
all  interior  things  are  together,  and  in  their  fulness.     (That  truths 

from  good,  or  good  by  means  of  truths,  has  all  power  may  be  seen  above,  n.  209, 
333;  and  in  Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  231,  232,  539;  and  that  all  power  is  in  out- 
mosts,  because  the  Divine  is  there  in  its  fulness,  above,  n.  34^!    ^'^'^  A.C.,  n.  9836, 

10044).  From  all  this  it  can  be  seen  that  "the  mighty"  mean  ex- 
ternal truths,  or  truths  of  the  natural  man. 

409[€l].  "And  every  servant,  and  every  freeman,"  signifies 
/ke  natural  ma7i  and  the  spiritual  man. — This  is  evident  from  the 
signification  of  "servant,"  as  meaning  the  natural  man  (of  which 
presently) ;  and  fi'om  the  signification  of  "freeman,"  as  meaning  the 
spiritual  man.  The  spiritual  man  is  meant  by  "freeman"  and 
the  natural  man  by  "servant  "  because  the  spiritual  man  is  led  by 
the  Lord  from  heaven,  and  to  be  led  by  the  Lord  is  freedom  ; 
while  the  natural  man  obeys  and  serves  the  spiritual,  for  it  exe- 
cutes what  the  spiritual  man  wills  and  thinks.  "Servant"  is 
mentioned  in-  many  passages  in  the  Word  ;  and  one  who  does 


CHAP.   VI.,  VERSE    I5. — N.  409[<5].  945 

not  know  that  in  these  "servant"  means  what  is  serviceable  to 
and  etfe6live  of  the  things  the  sj)iritual  man  wills  and  thinks,  might 
suppose  that  "servant"  there  means  one  who  is  in  servitude,  thai 
is,  might  understand  it  in  its  ordinary  sense,  but  it  will  be  plain 
from  the  passages  in  the  Word  that  will  presently  be  cited  that  it 
means  what  is  serviceable  and  effective.  When  "  servant "  is  men- 
tioned in  the  Word  in  this  sense,  the  natural  man  is  meant  by  it, 
which  is  "a  servant"  in  the  same  sense  as  the  body  is  a  servant 
to  its  soul.  As  what  is  serviceable  and  effe6live  is  meant  by 
"servant,"  so  "servant"  is  predicated  not  only  of  the  natural  man 
in  its  relation  to  the  spiritual,  but  also  of  men  who  perform  service 
for  others  and  of  angels  who  execute  God's  commands,  yea,  of 
the  Lord  Himself  in  respe6l  to  His  Divine  Human  when  He  was  in 
the  world  ;  it  is  also  predicated  of  truths  from  good,  because  good 
a6ls  and  produces  effe6ls  by  means  of  truths,  and  truths  perform 
the  service  to  good  which  good  wills  and  loves,  and  so  forth. 
Moreover,  "servant"  is  predicated  of  the  natural  man  with  regard 
to  obedience  and  effe6t,  although  with  the  regenerate  the  natural 
man  is  just  as  free  as  the  spiritual,  for  they  a6l  as  one,  like  prin- 
cipal and  instrumental ;  and  yet  the  natural  man,  in  relation  to 
the  spiritual,  is  called  "a  servant,"  because,  as  was  said,  the  nat- 
ural man  is  serviceable  to  the  spiritual  in  producing  effects.  But 
with  those  in  whom  the  spiritual  man  is  closed  and  the  natural  man 
only  open,  the  whole  man  in  a  general  sense  is  a  servant,  although 
in  appearance  it  is  like  a  freeman  ;  for  the  outer  natural  man  is 
subservient  to  evils  and  falsities  which  the  inner  wills  and  thinks, 
and  is  thus  led  by  hell,  and  to  be  led  by  hell  is  to  be  wholly  a 
servant,  and  after  death  such  a  man  becomes  wholly  a  servant 
and  vile  slave  in  hell ;  for  after  death  the  delights  of  every  one's 
life  are  changed  into  things  that  correspond,  and  the  delights  of 
evil  are  changed  into  servitude  and  into  loathsome  things  (see 
Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  485-490).  In  this  scnsc  also  "  servant "  is  mentioned 
in  the  Word.  But  here  it  shall  be  shown  especially  that  "serv- 
ant" means  what  is  serviceable  and  effe6tive,  and  this  in  every 
respedl. 

[&.]  fa.]  That  "servant"  means  what  is  serviceable  and  ef- 
fective is  plainly  evident  from  this,  that  the  Lord  in  relation  to 
His  Divine  Human  is  called  "servant  "and  "  minister,"  as  in  the 
following  passages.     In  Isaiah: 

"  Behold  My  servant,  on  whom  I  lean,  My  chosen,  in  whom  My  soul  is 
well  pleased  ;  I  have  given  My  spirit  upon  Him  [;  He  shall  bring 
forth  judgment  to  the  nations] Who  is  blind  but  My  serv. 


94^  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

ant?  or  deaf  as  My  angel  that  I  send?    Who  is  blind  as  He  that  If 
complete,  and  blind  as  My  servant?"  (xlii.  i,  19.) 

This  is  said  of  tlu-  Lonl,  w  lio  is  treated  of  in  the  whole  of  this 
chapter,  and  the  Lord  in  respect  to  His  Divine  Human  is  here 
called  "a  servant,"  because  He  served  His  Father  by  doing  His 
will,  as  He  frequently  declares  ;  and  this  means  that  He  reduced 
to  order  all  things  in  the  spiritual  world,  and  at  the  same  time 
taught  men  the  way  to  heaven.  Therefore  by  "  My  servant  on 
whom  I  lean,"  and  by  "My  chosen,  in  whom  My  soul  is  well 
pleased,"  the  Divine  Human  is  meant;  and  this  is  called  "a  serv- 
ant" in  respe<5l  to  Divine  truth  by  which  it  produced  effects,  and 
"  chosen  "  in  respe6l  to  Divine  good.  That  it  was  by  means  of 
the  Divine  truth  which  belonged  to  Him  that  the  Lord  produced 
effe6fs  is  meant  by  "  I  have  given  My  spirit  upon  Him,  He  shall 
bring  forth  judgment  to  the  nations,"  "  the  Spirit  of  Jehovah  " 
meaning  Divine  truth,  and  "  to  bring  forth  judgment  to  the  na- 
tions" meaning  to  instru6t.  He  is  called  "blind"  and  "deaf" 
because  He  is  as  if  He  d'd  not  see  and  perceive  the  sins  of  men. 
for  He  leads  men  gently,  bending  and  not  breaking,  thus  leading 
away  from  evils,  and  leading  to  good  ;  therefore  He  does  not 
chastise  or  punish,  like  one  that  saw  and  perceived.  This  is 
meant  by  "Who  is  blind  but  My  servant?  or  deaf  as  My  angel?" 
He  is  called  "blind"  and  hence  "a  servant"  from  the  Divine 
truth,  and  "deaf"  and  hence  "an  angel"  from  the  Divine  good  ; 
for  "blindness"  has  reference  to  understanding  and  thus  to  per- 
ception, and  "deafness"  to  perception  and  thus  to  the  will ;  so  it 
is  here  meant  that  He  as  it  were  sees  not,  although  He  possesses 
the  Divine  truth  from  which  He  understands  all  things,  and  that 
He  wills  not  according  to  what  He  perceives,  although  He  has 
Divine  good,  from  which  He  is  able  to  effedl  all  things.  [3.]  In 
the  same, 

"  He  shall  see  of  the  labor  of  His  soul.  He  shall  be  satisfied  ;  by  His 
knowledge  My  just  servant  shall  justify  many,  in  that  He  hath 
borne  their  iniquities"  (liii.  11). 

This,  too,  is  said  of  the  Lord,  of  whom  the  whole  chapter  evidently 
treats,  and  indeed  of  His  Divine  Human.  His  combats  with  the 
hells  and  His  subjugation  of  them  are  signified  by  "the  labor  of 
His  soul,"  and  "  He  hath  borne  their  iniquities,"  "bearing  their 
iniquities  "  means  not  that  He  transferred  them  unto  Himself,  but 
that  He  admitted  into  Himself  evils  rom  the  hells  that  He  might 
subdue  them  ;  this  is  what  is  meant  by  "  bearing  iniquities."  The 
consequent  salvation  of  those  who  are  in  spiritual  faith,  which  is 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE    1 5. — N.  409[rJ.  947 

the  faith  of  charity,  is  meant  by  the  words,  "by  His  knowledge  My 
just  servant  shall  justify  many,"  'knowledge"  signifying  Divine 
truth,  and  thus  Divine  wisdom  and  intelligence,  and  "many"  sig- 
nifying all  who  receive ;  for  "  many  "  in  the  Word  is  predicated 
of  truths,  and  "great"  of  good,  therefore  "many"  means  all  who 
u-e  in  truths  from  good  from  the  Lord.  It  is  said  that  "  He  shall 
■  ustify  "  these,  because  "  to  justify  "  signifies  to  save  by  Divine  good, 
and  from  Divine  good  He  is  called  "just."  Because  the  Lord 
accomplished  and  effected  these  things  by  His  Divine  Human,  He 
is  called  "the  servant  of  Jehovah."  This  makes  clear  that  Jeho- 
vah calls  His  Divine  Human  "  His  servant,"  because  of  its  serv- 
ing and  effedling.     [4.]    In  the  same, 

"  Behold  My  servant  shall  acfl  prudently.  He  shall  be  raised  up  and  ex- 
alted and  be  greatly  lifted  up"  (lii.  13). 

This,  too,  is  said  of  the  Lord,  whose  Divine  Human  is  called  "a 
servant,"  for  the  same  reason  as  was  mentioned  just  above ;  the 
glorification  of  His  Human  is  meant  by  "  He  shall  be  raised  up, 
exalted,  and  greatly  lifted  up."     In  the  same, 

"Ye  are  My  witnesses,. .  .  .and  My  servant  whom  I  have  chosen  ;  thar 
ye  may  know  and  believe  Me  "  (xliii.  10). 

Here,  too,  "servant"  means  the  Lord  in  respe6l  to  His  Divine 
Human.  That  the  Lord  Himself  calls  Himself  "a  minister"  from 
serving,  is  clear  in  the  Gospels  : 

"Whosoever  will  become  great  among  you  must  be  your  minister,  an# 
whosoever  will  be  first  must  be  your  servant,  as  the  Son  of  man 
came  not  to  be  ministered  unto  but  to  minister"  {Matt.  xx.  25-2S  , 
Mark  X.  i,i-i,i^  ;  Luke  xxii.  27). 

This  may  be  seen  explained  in  Heaven  and  Hell  (n.  218).    And  in 

Luke : 

"Blessed  are  the  servants  whom  the  Lord  when  He  cometh  shall  find 
watching  ;  verily  I  say  unto  you,  that  He  will  gird  Himself,  and 
make  them  to  sit  down  to  meat,  and  drawing  near  He  will  minister 
to  them  "  (xii.  37). 

[c]    [5.]   Since  "  David  "  in  the  Word  means  the  Lord  in 

respedt  to  Divine  truth,  and  Divine  truth  serves,  so  David,  where 

the  Lord  is  meant  by  him,  is  in  many  places  called  "a  servant ;" 

as  in  Ezekiel  : 

"  I  Jehovah  will  be  their  God,  and  My  servant  David  a  prince  in  the 
midst  of  them  "  (xxxiv.  24). 

In  the  same, 

"  My  ser/ant  David  shall  be  king  over  them,  that  they  all  may  have  one 

shepherd  "  (xxxvii.  24). 


948  APOCALYPSE    i:XPI.AINi:i). 

This  was  said  of  David  after  his  times,  when  hv  was  never  ag^ain 
to  be  raised  up  to  be  a  piincc  in  the  midst  of  tiiiin,  or  a  king  over 
them.     In  /saia/i  : 

"  For  I  will  defend  this  city  to  preserve  it  for  Mine  own  sake,  and  for  V ,. 
servant  David's  sake  "  (xxxvii.  35). 

In  Da\'id  :  1 

"  I  have  made  a  covenant  with  My  chosen,  I  have  sworn  to  David  M\ 

servant,  even  to  eternity  will  I  establish  thy  seed I  have  found 

David  My  servant  ;  with  the  oil  of  My  holiness  have  I  anointed 
him  "  {Insulin  Ixxxix.  3,  4,  20). 

The  whole  of  this  psahii  treats  oi  the  Lord,  who  is  here  meant  by 
"  David."     In  the  same, 

"He  chose  David  His  servant  ;.  .  .  .from  following  the  ewes  giving  suck 
He  brought  him  to  feed  Jacob  His  people,  and  Israel  His  inherit- 
ance;  and  he  fed  them  in  the  integrity  of  his  heart,  and  guided 
them  by  the  skilfulness  of  his  hands  "  {Psaltn  Ixxviii.  70-72) ; 

and  elsewhere.  That  the  Lord  in  respect  to  Divine  truth  is  meant 
by  "David"  in  the  Word,  may  be  seen  above  (n.  205),  and  in  the 
passages  there  cited.  The  Lord  is  also  called  "a  servant"  in  the 
Word  where  He  is  meant  by  "  Israel."     As  in  Isaiah: 

"  Thou  art  My  servant,  O  Israel,  in  whom  I  will  be  made  glorious 

It  is  a  light  thing  that  thou  shouldest  be  My  servant  to  raise  up  the 
tribes  of  Jacob,  and  to  lead  back  the  preserved  of  Israel  ;  but  I 
have  given  thee  for  a  light  to  the  nations,  that  thou  mayest  be  My 
salvation  unto  the  end  of  the  earth"  (xlix.  3,  6). 

(That  in  the  highest  sense  the  Lord  is  meant  by  "  Israel,"  see  A.C.,  n.  4286 ;  and 
that  "the  Stone  of  Israel  "  means  the  Lord  in  respedl  to  Divine  truth,  n.  6426.) 

[6.]  Since  the  Lord  in  respedl  to  Divine  truth  is  called  in  the 
Word  "a  servant"  from  serving,  so  those  who  are  in  Divine  truth 
from  the  Lord  and  are  thereby  serviceable  to  others  are  there 
called  "servants,"  as  the  prophets  are  in  these  passages.  In  Jer- 
emiah : 

"Jehovah  hath  sent  unto  you  all  His  servants  the  prophets "  (xxv.  4). 

In  Amos  : 

"  He  hath  revealed  His  secret  unto  His  servants  the  prophets"  (iii.  7), 

In  Daniel : 

"  He  hath  set  [His  laws]  before  you  by  the  hand  of  His  servants  th" 
prophets  "  (ix.  10). 


So,  too. 


Moses  is  called  "The  servant  of  Jehovah  "  {Mai.  iv.  4). 
And  also  Isaiah,  in  his  prophecy  ([/j«.]  xx.  3  ;  1.  10). 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE    1 5. — N.  409LrJ.  949 

For  "  prophets"  in  the  Word  signify  the  dodrine  of  Divine  truth, 
thus  Divine  truth  in  respect  to  doctrine  (see  .i.e.,  n.  2534,  7269).  So 
again,  David  calls  himself  "a  servant  of  Jehovah  ;"  as  in  the  fol- 
lowing passages  : 

"  I  delight  in  Thy  statutes  ;  I  do  not  forget  Thy  word.    [Reward  Thy  serv- 

ant.]  ....  Thy  servant  doth  meditate  in  Thy  statutes Thou 

hast  dealt  well  with  Thy  servant,  O  Jehovah,  according  to  Thy 

word Deal  with  Thy  servant  according  to  Thy  mercy,  and 

teach  me  Thy  statutes.     I  am  Thy  servant,  cause  me  to  be  in- 

strudled.  that  I  may  know  Thy  testimonies Maice  Thy  faces 

to  shine  upon  Thy  servant,  and  teach  Me  Thy  statutes I  have 

gone  astray  like  a  lost  sheep  ;  seek  Thy  servant"  {Psahn  cxix.  16, 
17,  23,  65,  124,  125,  135,  176). 

In  the  same, 

"Guard  my  soul,  for  I  am  holy  ;.  .  .  .save  Thy  servant,  for  I  trust  in  Thee. 
....    Rejoice  the  soul  of  Thy  servant  ;  for  unto  Thee,  O  Lord,  do 

I  lift  up  My  soul Give  strength  unto  Thy  servant,  and  save 

the  son  of  Thy  handmaid  "  {Psalm  Ixxxvi.  2,  4,  16  ;) 
(And  elsewhere,  as  Psalm  xxvii.  g  ;  xxxi.  16  ;  xxxv.  27  ;  cxvi.  16  ;  Luke 
i.  69). 

Since  the  Lord  in  respedl  to  Divine  truth  is  meant  by  "David  ' 
in  the  above  cited  passages,  and  thus  "  David,"  the  same  as  the 
prophets,  means  Divine  truth,  so  "servant"  in  these  passages 
means  in  the  spiritual  sense,  what  is  serviceable.  One  who  is  ig- 
norant of  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word  might  believe  that  Da- 
vid and  others  also  who  are  spoken  of  in  the  Word,  called  them- 
selves "servants,"  for  the  reason  that  ail  are  servants  of  God  ;  but 
wherever  "servants"  are  mentioned  in  the  Word,  what  is  servicea- 
ble and  effective  is  meant  in  the  spiritual  sense.   For  this  reason,  too, 

Nebuchadnezzar  king  of  Babylon  is  called  "  the  servant  of  Jehovah  " 
{^Jer.  XXV.  9  ;  xliii.  10). 

But  in  a  paiticular  sense,  "servant"  and  "servants  "  in  the  Word 
mean  those  who  receive  Divine  truth  and  who  teach  it,  since  Di- 
vine truth  is  what  serves,  and  by  means  of  it  Divine  good  pro■^ 
duces  efife^ls.  For  this  reason  "servants"  and  "chosen"  are  fre-- 
quently  mentioned  together,  "servants"  meaning  those  who  re- 
ceive Divine  truth  and  who  teach,  and  " chosen "  those  who 
receive  Divine  good  and  who  lead  ;  as  in  Isaiah : 

"  I  will  bring  forth  a  seed  out  of  Jacob,  and  out  of  Judah  an  inheritor  of 
My  mountains  ;  that  My  chosen  may  possess  it,  and  My  servantFj 
may  dwe'l  there"  (Ixv.  9). 

In  the  same, 

"Thou,  Israel,  art  My  servant,  and  Jacob,  whom  I  have  chosen  "(xli.  8), 

In  the  same, 


950  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

"Hear,  O  Jacob,  My  servant  ;  Israel,  whom  I  have  chosen Feir 

not,  O  Jacob,  My  servant,  and  thou  Jeshurun,  whom  I  have  chosen" 
(xliv.  I,  2). 

(That  those  are  called  "  chosen  "  who  are  in  a  life  of  charity,  see  A.C.,  n.  3753  no.ir 
the  end,  3900.) 

[fl.]  [7.]  Now  as  "servants"  have  reference  in  the  Word  to 
what  is  serviceable  and  effective,  consequently  to  such  as  serve 
and  produce  effedts,  so  the  natural  man  is  called  "  a  servant,"  since 
this  serves  the  spiritual  in  effedling  what  it  wills  ;  and  for  this  rea- 
son the  spiritual  man  is  called  "a  freeman"  and  "master."  This, 
too,  is  meant  by  "servant"  and  "master"  in  L^ike : 

"  No  servant  can  serve  two  masters  ;  for  either  he  will  hate  the  one  and 
love  the  other,  or  else  he  will  prefer  the  one  and  despise  the  other. 
Ye  cannot  serve  God  and  mammon  "  ^xvi.  13). 

This  must  be  understood  as  referring,  not  to  servants  in  the  world, 
for  such  can  serve  two  masters,  and  yet  not  hate  and  despise  one 
of  them,  but  to  servants  in  a  spiritual  sense,  who  are  such  as  desire 
to  love  the  Lord  and  themselves  equally,  or  heaven  and  the  world 
equally.  These  are  like  those  who  wish  to  look  with  one  eye 
upwards,  and  with  the  other  downwards,  that  is,  with  one  eye  to 
heaven,  and  with  the  other  to  hell,  and  thus  to  hang  between  the 
two  ;  and  yet  there  must  be  a  predominance  of  one  of  these  loves 
over  the  other  ;  and  where  there  is  a  predominance,  that  which 
opposes  will  be  hated  and  despised  when  it  offers  opposition.  For 
the  love  of  self  and  of  the  world  is  the  opposite  of  love  to  the 
Lord  and  love  towards  the  neighbor.  For  this  reason,  those  who 
are  in  the  heavenly  love  would  rather  die  or  be  deprived  of  honors 
and  wealth  in  the  world  than  be  drawn  away  by  them  froni  the 
Lord  and  from  heaven  ;  for  this  they  regard  as  the  all,  because  it 
is  eternal,  but  the  fonner  as  relatively  nothing,  because  it  comes 
to  an  end  with  life  in  the  world.  On  the  other  hand,  those  who 
love  themselves  and  the  world  above  all  things,  rega:-d  the  Lord 
and  heaven  as  relatively  of  no  account,  and  even  deny  them,  and 
when  they  see  that  they  are  opposed  to  self  and  the  world  they 
hate  them  ;  this  becomes  clearly  manifest  with  all  such  in  the  other 
life.  With  those  who  love  the  Lord  and  heaven  above  all  things, 
the  internal  or  spiritual  man  is  open,  and  the  external  or  natural 
man  serves  it ;  then  the  latter  is  a  servant  because  it  serves,  and 
the  former  is  a  master  because  it  exercises  its  will ;  but  with  those 
who  love  themselves  and  the  world  above  all  things,  the  internal 
or  spiritual  man  is  closed,  and  the  external  or  natural  man  is  open  ; 
and  when  the  latter  is  open  and  the  former  closed,  the  man  loves 
the  one  master,  namely,  himself  and  the  world,  and  hates  the 


CHAP.   VI.,  VERSE    I5. — N.   409[a'].  95I 

Other,  the  Lord  and  heaven.  To  this  I  am  able  to  bear  wit- 
ness from  experience ;  for  all  who  have  lived  for  self  and  the 
world,  and  not,  as  they  ought,  for  God  and  heaven,  in  the  other 
life  hate  the  Lord  and  persecute  those  who  are  His,  however 
in  the  world  they  may  have  talked  about  heaven  and  about 
the  Lord.  From  this  it  can  be  seen  how  impossible  it  is  to  serve 
two  masters.  That  these  words  of  the  Lord  must  be  understood 
spiritually  is  clear  from  the  Lord's  own  words,  for  He  says,  "  Ye 
cannot  serve  God  and  mammon."     [8.]    In  Matthew  : 

"  The  disciple  is  not  above  his  master,  nor  the  servant  above  his  lord. 
It  is  enough  for  the  disciple  that  he  be  as  his  master,  and  the  serv- 
ant as  his  lord  "  (x.  24,  25). 

This  in  the  most  general  sense  means  that  man  must  not  compare 
himself  to  the  Lord,  and  that  it  is  sufficient  for  him  that  all  that 
he  has  he  has  from  the  Lord,  and  then  the  disciple  is  as  the  Mas- 
ter, and  the  servant  as  the  Lord,  for  then  the  Lord  is  in  him,  and 
causes  him  to  will  good  and  to  think  truth.  The  term  "disciple" 
is  used  in  reference  to  good  and  "servant"  in  reference  to  truth. 
It  is  the  same  in  a  particular  sense,  namely,  with  each  individual 
who  is  led  by  the  Lord,  the  external  or  natural  man  in  him  is  "a 
disciple"  and  "a  servant,"  and  the  internal  and  spiritual  man  is 
"a  master"  and  "a  lord."  When  the  external  or  natural  man 
serves  the  internal  or  spiritual  in  obeying  and  carrying  into  effect, 
then  it  is  "as  its  master"  and  "as  its  lord,"  for  they  a6l  as  one, 
as  is  said  of  the  principal  cause  and  the  instrumental,  that  they  a6t 
as  one  cause.  This  particular  sense  coincides  with  the  most  gen- 
eral in  this,  that  when  the  spiritual  and  natural  man  a6l  as  one, 
the  Lord  Himself  a6ls,  for  the  spiritual  man  does  nothing  by  itself, 
but  what  it  does  it  does  solely  from  the  Lord ;  so  far,  indeed,  as 
the  spiritual  man  has  been  opened  (for  this  opens  into  heaven),  so 
far  man  atls  not  by  himself  but  from  the  Lord  ;  this  spiritual  man 
is  the  spiritual  man  in  its  proper  sense.     [9.]    In  yohn  : 

"  Ye  shall  know  the  truth  ;  the  truth  maketh  you  free."  The  Jews  "an- 
swered, We  are  Abraham's  seed,  and  have  never  yet  been  in  bond- 
age to  any  man  ;  how  sayest  Thou,  Ye  shall  be  made  free?  Jesus 
answered  them,  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  every  one  that  com- 
mitteth  sin  is  a  servant  of  sin.  The  servant  abideth  not  in  the 
house  forever  ;  the  son  abideth  for  ever.  If  the  son  therefore  make 
you  free  ye  shall  be  free  indeed  "  (viii.  32-36). 

This  means  that  to  be  led  by  the  Lord  is  freedom,  and  to  be  led 
by  hell  is  slavery.  "  The  truth  that  makes  free"  means  Divine  truth 
which  is  from  the  Lord,  for  he  who  receives  this  in  do6\rine  and 
in  life  is  free,  because  he  is  made  spiritual  and  is  led  by  the  Lord  ; 


952  APocAi.viv^i:   i:xi'i..\iN'i-:i). 

therefore  it  is  added,  "the  son  al)ideth  in  tlie  house  for  ever;  if 
the  son  therefore  make  you  free  ye  shall  be  free  indeed,"  "son" 
meaning-  the  Lord,  and  also  truth  (see  above,  n  63,  151,  166),  and 
"to  abide  in  the  house"  meaning  to  abide  in  heaven.  That  to 
be  led  by  hell  is  slavery  is  taus^ht  l:)y  these  words, "every  one  that 
committeth  sin  is  a  servant  of  sin,"  "  sin  "  is  hell  because  it  is  from 
hell.  [10.]  That  to  receive  Divine  truth  from  the  Lord  in  doc- 
trine and  in  life  is  to  be  free  the  Lord  teaches  also  in  yohn: 

"Ye  are  My  friends  if  ye  do  whatsoever  I  command  you.  No  longer  do 
I  call  you  servants  ;  for  the  servant  knoweth  not  what  his  Lord 
doeth  ;  I  rather  call  you  friends,  for  all  things  that  I  have  heard 
from  My  Father  I  have  made  known  unto  you.  Ye  have  not  chosen 
Me,  but  I  have  chosen  you  and  appointed  you  that  ye  may  go 
and  bring  forth  fruit,  and  that  your  fruit  may  abide"  (xv.  14-16). 

"Friends"  here  mean  the  free,  "friends"  being  contrasted  with 
"servants."  That  those  who  receive  the  Divine  truth  in  do6lrine 
and  life  from  the  Lord  are  not  "servants,"  but  are  "friends"  or 
freemen,  is  taught  by  these  words,  "if  ye  do  whatsoever  I  com- 
mand you,  no  longer  do  I  call  you  servants,  but  friends;"  likewise 
by  these  words,  "all  things  that  I  have  heard  from  My  Father  I 
have  made  known  unto  you,  that  ye  may  go  and  bring  forth  fiaiit ;" 
"  to  command  "  and  "  to  make  known  "  pertain  to  do6lrine,  and  "  to 
bring  forth  fruit"  pertains  to  life.  That  these  are  from  the  Lord 
is  thus  taught,  "ye  have  not  chosen  Me,  but  I  have  chosen  you 
and  appointed  you."  Nearly  the  same  was  represented  by  the 
Hebrew  servants  who  were  sent  away  free  in  the  seventh  year 
and  in  the  year  of  Jubilee 

(who  are  treated  of  in  Exodus  xxi.  2,  3  ;  Levit.  xxv.  39-41 ;  Deut.  xv.  12 
et  seq.  ;  Jeremiah  xxxiv.  9  et  seq.). 

(Concerning  these  see  A.C.,  n.  8973-9005.)  From  what  has  been  thus  far 
set  forth  it  can  be  seen  that  those  are  called  "servants"  in  the 
Word  who  serve  and  bring  into  effedl:,  and  that  therefore  "serv- 
ant" means  the  natural  man,  because  this  serves  its  spiritual  man 
by  bringing  into  effect  what  it  wills  and  thinks  ;  also  that  those 
are  called  "freemen"  who  a<5l  from  a  love  for  truth  and  good, 
thus  who  a6t  from  the  Lord,  from  whom  is  the  love  for  truth: 
and  good.  Moreover,  "servants"  in  the  Word  mean  also  those 
A'-ho  are  led  by  self  and  the  world,  and  thus  by  evils  and  falsities, 
consequently  who  are  led  by  the  natural  man  and  not  at  the 
same  time  by  the  spiritual.  But  respecting  these  servants,  the 
Lord  willing,  it  shall  be  told  elsewhere. 

4Io[/i].   "Hid  themselves  in  caves  and  in  the  rocks  of  the 
mountains  "  signifies  truths  and  goods  destroyed  by  evils  of  life 


CHAP.   VI.,  VERSE   15. — N.   4Io[i!:].  953 

and  falsities  therefrom. — This  is  evident  from  the  signification  of 
"  hiding  themselves,"  as  meaning  that  they  were  destroyed,  namely, 
internal  and  external  goods  and  truths,  or  those  in  the  natural  and 
in  the  spiritual  man,  which  are  signified  by  "kings  of  the  earth," 
"the  great  ones,"  "the  rich,"  "the  commanders  of  thousands," 
"the  mighty,"  and  by  "every  servant  and  every  freeman,"  as  has 
been  shown  above.  From  this  it  follows  that  "they  hid  them- 
selves "  signifies  that  these  were  destroyed,  the  things  destroyed 
being  also  in  a  hidden  place.  It  is  evident  also  from  the  significa- 
tion of  "caves,"  as  meaning  evils  of  life  (of  which  presently);  and 
from  the  signification  of  "rocks  of  the  mountains,"  as  meaning 
falsities  therefrom  ;  for  "rocks"  signify  truths  of  faith,  and  in  the 
contrary  sense  falsities  of  faith,  here  falsities  from  evils,  for  "  mount- 
ains "  signify  evils  springing  from  the  loves  of  self  and  of  the 
world  (as  was  shown  just  above,  n.  405[^'^-/]).  But  on  the  signification 
of  "  rocks"  see  in  the  article  immediately  following  ;  here  the  sig- 
nification of  "caves"  will  be  treated  ot.  [2.]  It  was  said  above 
that  in  the  spiritual  world  there  are  mountains,  hills,  rocks,  valleys, 
and  lands,  as  on  our  globe,  and  that  angels  and  spirits  dwell  on 
them  ;  but  yet  in  the  spiritual  world  they  have  a  different  appear- 
ance ;  upon  the  mountains  those  dwell  who  are  in  the  greatest 
light,  below  these  on  the  same  mountain  those  dwell  who  are  in 
less  light,  and  beneath  these  those  who  are  in  still  less,  and  in 
the  lowest  parts  those  dwell  who  are  in  darkness  and  thick  dark- 
ness as  compared  to  the  light  the  higher  ones  have  ;  accordingly 
the  heavens  are  in  the  higher  part  of  the  mountains,  and  the  hells 
are  in  the  lowest  parts,  thus  the  expanses  of  the  mountains  succeed 
each  other  as  strata.  This  is  so  in  order  that  the  lower  may  be 
governed  by  the  Lord  through  the  higher ;  for  the  Lord  flows 
in  immediately  from  Himself  into  all  things  of  the  spiritual  world, 
and  mediately  through  the  higher  heavens  into  the  lower,  and 
through  these  into  the  hells.  The  reason  for  this  arrangement  is 
that  all  may  be  held  in  conne6lion  by  influx ;  such  a  coordinate 
and  subordinate  arrangement  exists  through  the  whole  spiritual 
world.  Into  the  hells,  which  are  under  the  mountains  and  in  the 
rocks,  entrances  lie  open  either  in  the  lowest  parts  of  their  sides 
or  through  caverns  from  the  valleys  ;  and  the  entrances  in  the 
lower  parts  of  the  sides  appear  like  entrances  into  caves  fre- 
quented by  wild  beasts,  altogether  dark ;  these  are  opened  when 
infernal  spirits  are  let  in,  but  are  shut  when  they  have  been  let  in. 
These  entrances  are  called  in  the  Word  "the  gates  of  hell."  But 
among  the  rocks  these  entrances  appear  like  clefts  in  a  cliff,  and 
in  some  places  like  holes  of  different  sizes.    The  darkness  in  these 


954  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

gates  or  doors  appears  densely  dark  to  good  spirits  and  angels, 
but  luminous  to  evil  spirits  :  the  reason  is  that  there  is  no  light  of 
heaven  there,  but  a  fatuous  bimcn,  which  is  natural  himen  apart 
from  the  spiritual.  The  light  of  those  there  is  not  like  the  light 
(liiminosum)  of  the  world  in  the  day-time,  l:)ut  like  no6turnal  light 
which  is  suitable  for  owls,  moles,  birds  of  night,  and  bats,  which 
see  nothing  in  the  light  of  day,  and  therefore  the  light  of  da\-  is 
thick  darkness  to  them,  while  the  darkness  of  the  night  is  their 
light.  The  sight  of  those  there  is  such  because  it  is  formed  of 
falsities  and  evils, which  in  themselves  are  darkness  and  thick  dark- 
ness ;  for  this  reason  "darkness"  in  the  Word  signifies  falsities  of 
every  kind,  and  "thick  darkness"  the  falsities  of  evil.  From  this 
it  can  be  seen  what  is  signified  by  "  they  hid  themselves  in  caves," 
that  is,  in  evils  of  life,  the  goods  in  them  having  been  destroyed. 
Evils  of  life  are  signified  by  "caves"  for  the  same  reason  that 
"mountains"  signify  goods  of  life,  namely,  because  those  who 
are  in  them  are  such  ;  for  the  spiritual  sense  is  concerned  solely 
with  evils  or  with  goods  regarded  apart  from  places  and  persons, 
that  is,  with  the  kind  of  evils  or  goods  in  the  places  and  in  the 
persons,  as  has  also  been  frequently  said  above. 

[&•]  [3.]  From  this  it  can  be  seen  what  is  signified  in  the  Word 
by  "caves,"  "caverns,"  "hollows,"  "holes,"  "clefts,"  and  "chinks 
of  rocks  and  mountains,"  in  the  following  passages.     In  Isaiah: 

"  Enter  into  the  rock,  and  hide  thee  in  the  dust,  for  fear  of  Jehovah  and 

for  the  glory  of  His  majesty For  there  shall  be  a  day  of 

Jehovah  of  hosts  upon  every  one  that  is  proud  and  lofty,  and  I'pon 
every  one  that  is  lifted  up,  and  that  is  brought  low  ;  and  upon  all 
the  cedars  of  Lebanon  that  are  high  and  lifted  up,  and  upon  all  the 
oaks  of  Bashan,  and  upon  all  the  high  mountains,  and  upon  all 
the  hills  that  are  lifted  up,  and  upon  every  lofty  tower,  and  upon 
every  fenced  wall,  and  upon  all  the  ships  of  Tarshish,  and  upon  all 
images  of  desire  ;  that  the  pride  of  man  {hovtinis)  may  be  bowed 
down,  and  the  loftiness  of  men  {virorurii)  be  brought  low,  and 
Jehovah  alone  be  exalted  in  that  day.  And  the  idols  shall  go  away 
into  smoke.  And  they  shall  enter  into  the  caves  of  the  rocks,  and 
into  the  clefts  of  the  dust,  for  fear  of  Jehovah  and  for  the  glory 
of  His  majesty  when  He  shall  arise  to  terrify  the  earth.  In  that 
day  a  man  shall  cast  away  his  idols  of  silver  and  his  idols  of  gold 
which  they  made  for  themselves,  to  bow  down  to  the  moles  and  to 
the  bats,  to  go  into  the  rents  of  the  rocks  and  into  the  clefts  of  the 
cliffs"  (ii.  10-21). 

No  one  can  understand  all  these  things  except  from  the  internal 
sense,  and  unless  he  knows  what  the  appearance  of  things  is  in 
the  spiritual  world ;  for  without  the  internal  sense  who  can  know 
what  is  meant  by  "  there  shall  be  a  day  of  Jehovah  upon  the  cedars 
of  Lebanon  and  the  oaks  of  Bashan,  upon  mountains  and  hills, 
upon  the  tower  and  the  fenced  wall,  upon  the  ships  of  Tarshisb 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE    I5. — X.  4lo[d].  955 

and  the  images  of  desire ;"  and  what  is  meant  by  "bowing  down 
to  moles  and  bats?"  And  unless  the  appearance  of  things  in  the 
spiritual  world  is  known,  who  can  know  what  is  meant  by  "their 
entering  into  the  rock  and  hiding  themselves  in  the  dust,"  "enter- 
ing into  the  caves  of  the  rocks  and  into  the  clefts  of  the  du.st," 
also  "into  the  rents  of  the  rocks  and  the  clefts  of  the  cliffs?" 
But  from  the  internal  sense  it  is  known  that  all  these  things  de- 
scribe the  state  of  those  who  are  in  the  love  of  self  and  of  the  world, 
and  thus  in  evils  and  falsities  at  the  time  of  the  last  judgment.  It 
is  therefore  said  "there  shall  be  a  day  of  Jehovah  upon  every  one 
that  is  proud  and  lofty,  and  upon  everyone  that  is  lifted  up  and  that 
is  brought  low,"  "day  of  Jehovah"  meaning  the  last  judgment, 
"every  one  that  is  proud  and  lofty  "  meaning  those  who  are  in  the 
love  of  self  and  the  world,  and  "every  one  that  is  lifted  up  and 
that  is  brought  low"  meaning  those  who  are  in  the  love  of  self- 
intelligence.  This  is  further  described  by  "there  shall  be  a  day 
of  Jehovah  upon  all  the  cedars  that  are  high  and  lifted  up,  and 
upon  all  the  oaks  of  Bashan,  upon  all  the  high  mountains  and 
hills  that  are  lifted  up,  upon  every  high  tower  and  fenced  wall, 
and  upon  all  the' ships  of  Tarshish  and  the  images  of  desire," 
"cedars  of  Lebanon"  and  "oaks  of  Bashan"  signify  the  pride  of 
self- intelligence,  "cedars  of  Lebanon,"  interior  pride,  and  "oaks 
of  Bashan"  exterior  pride;  "mountains  and  hills"  signify  the 
loves  of  self  and  of  the  world,  and  the  evils  and  falsities  spring- 
ing from  them  (as  was  shown  above,  n.  405[^-2]) ;  " tower "  and  "wall" 
signify  falsities  of  doctrine  confirmed,  "ships  of  Tarshish"  and 
"images  of  desire"  signify  knowledges  and  perceptions  of  falsity 
from  evil ;  their  worship  from  evils  and  falsities  is  signified  by 
"the  idols  which  they  made  for  themselves,  to  bow  down  to  the 
moles  and  the  bats  ;"  worship  from  such  things  as  are  from  self- 
intelligence  is  signified  by  "  idols  which  they  made  for  themselves 
to  bow  dovvn  unto ;"  evils  and  falsities  of  do6frine  from  which 
•such  worship  springs  are  signified  by  "moles  and  bats,"  because 
these  have  sight  in  the  dark  and  shun  the  light ;  judgment  upon 
Hich  is  described  by  "  they  shall  enter  into  the  caves  of  the  rocks 
%aa  into  the  clefts  of  the  dust,"  also  "  into  the  rents  of  the  rocks  and 
iu'.o  the  clefts  of  the  cliffs,"  "to  enter  into  the  caves  of  the  rocks 
kr.d  into  the  clefts  of  the  dust "  signifies  the  damnation  of  those 
vho  are  in  evils  and  falsities  from  the  loves  of  self  and  of  the 
ivorld,  and  from  the  pride  of  self-intelligence ;  for  the  hells  of 
such  appear  as  caves  in  rocks,  and  the  entrances  into  them  as 
rents  in  rocks  and  clefts  in  clifife,  "rocks"  and  "cliffs"  signifying 
falsities  of  faith  and  do6lrine,  and  "dust"  signifying  what  is 
damned.     [4.1    In  yeremiah: 


956  APt)CALYPSli:    EXPLAIN i:[). 

"Thy  terror  halli  deceived  thee,  the  pride  of  ihine  heart,  <)  thou  that 
dvvellest  in  the  holes  of  the  rocks,  jhat  hoidest  the  heijjht  of  the 
hill  ;  if  thou  shouldst  make  thy  nest  as  high  as  the  eagle,  thence 
would  I  cast  thee  down  "  (xlix.  i6). 

'1  ills  is  said  of  Esau  and  Edoin  ;  and  "  Esau  "  here  sii^nifies  the  love 
of  self  and  evil  therefrom  destroying-  the  cliurch,  and  "  Edoni  " 
tlie  pride  of  self- intelligence  and  falsity  therefrom  destroying  the 
church.  That  the  love  of  self  and  such  pride  are  meant  is  evi- 
dent from  its  being  said  "  the  pride  of  thine  heart  hath  deceived 
thee  ;  if  thou  shouldst  make  thy  nest  as  high  as  the  eagle,  thence 
would  I  cast  thee  down."  Those  who  are  in  falsities  from  self- 
intelligence  dwell  in  rocks  below,  and  the  ways  of  approach  to 
them  appear  like  holes  therein.  These  have  been  seen  by  me. 
Within,  however,  there  are  rooms  hollowed  out  and  arched  cham- 
bers where  they  sit  in  their  fantasies.  But  before  they  are  cast  into 
these  they  are  seen  on  the  tops  of  mountains  and  hills,  for  they 
raise  themselves  into  high  places  by  fantasies,  and  as  they  are  not 
in  truths  they  think  they  are  there  bodily,  and  yet  bodily  they  are 
in  the  caves  of  the  rocks  ;  this,  therefore,  is  what  is  meant  by 
"dwelling  in  the  holes  of  the  rocks,  and  holding  the  height  of  the 
hill."  This  makes  clear  the  nature  of  the  Word,  namely,  that  in 
manv  places  it  conforms  to  the  aspe6ls  and  appearances  in  the 
spiritual  world,  which  are  unknown  to  man  but  known  to  spirits 
and  angels  ;  from  which  it  is  evident  that  the  Word  is  written  for 
them  also.     [5.]    In  Obadiah : 

"The  pride  of  thy  heart  hath  deceived  thee,  thou  that  dwellest  in  the 
clefts  of  the  rock,  in  the  height  of  thy  seat ;  that  saith  in  his  heart, 
Who  shall  bring  me  down  to  the  ground  ?  Though  thou  shalt 
mount  on  high  like  the  eagle,  and  though  thou  set  thy  nest  among 
the  stars,  I  will  bring  thee  down  from  thence  "  (verses  3,  4). 

This,  too,  is  said  of  Edom,  who  signifies  here  the  pride  of  learning 
which  is  from  self-intelligence,  and  falsity  therefrom  destroying  the 
church.  As  almost  the  same  things  are  said  here  as  above,  so 
the  signification  is  the  same;  "clefts  of  the  rock"  signify  falsities 
of  faith  and  of  do6lrine,  because  those  dwell  there  who  are  in  such 
falsities  ;  these  are  compared  to  an  eagle  because  the  eagle  from 
'  its  lofty  flights  signifies  the  pride  of  self-intelligence  ;  so,  too,  "  a 
nest  for  habitation"  is  mentioned^  and  "to  set  it  among  the  stars" 
signifies  in  the  heights  where  those  dwell  who  are  in  knowledges  of 
truth,  for  knowledges  of  truth  are  signified  by  "stars."     In  Job : 

"  To  dwell  in  the  clefts  of  the  valleys,  in  the  holes  of  the  earth,  and  in 
the  rocks  "  (xkx.  6). 

Here  too,  "clefts  of  the  valleys,"  "holes  of  the  earth,"  and  "rocks" 
signify  falsities  of  evil,  for  falsities  of  evil  are  here  treated  of. 


CHAP.    VI.,  VERSE    15. — N.    4Io[^].  957 

[r.]     6.]   In  /saia/i  : 

"  It  shall  come  to  pass  in  that  day,  Jehovah  shall  hiss  for  the  fly  that  is 
in  the  uttermost  part  of  the  rivers  of  Egypt,  and  for  the  bee  that 
is  in  the  land  of  Assyria  ;  which  shall  come  and  shall  rest,  all  of 
them,  in  the  rivers  of  desolations,  and  in  the  clefts  of  the  rocks, 
and  in  all  thickets,  and  in  all  courses"  (vii.  18,  19). 

This  describes  the  church  laid  waste  by  knowledges  (scientifica) 
falsely  applied,  and  b}^  reasonings  therefrom,  by  which  the  very 
knowledges  of  truth  from  the  Word  are  per\erted  ;  "the  fly  that 
is  in  the  uttermost  part  of  the  rivers  of  Egypt"  signifies  falsity  in 
the  outermosts  of  the  natural  man  ;  the  outermosts  of  the  natural 
man  are  what  are  called  sense  things,  for  the  natural  man  is  inner, 
middle,  and  outer  ;  the  inner  communicates  with  the  spiritual  man 
through  the  rational,  the  outer  with  the  world  through  the  bodily 
senses,  and  the  middle  conjoins  the  two.  The  outer  is  what  is 
called  the  .sensual,  because  it  depends  upon  the  bodily  senses,  and 
draws  therefrom  what  belongs  to  it.  The  falsities  that  are  in 
this  and  from  it  are  signified  by  "the  flies  in  the  uttermost  part 
of  the  rivers  of  Egypt."  But  "the  bee  in  the  land  of  Assyria" 
signifies  false  reasonings  therefrom,  for  "Assyria"  signifies  the 
rational,  and  "Egypt  "  the  knowing  faculty  of  the  natural  man  ; 
and  because  the  rational  derives  all  it  has  from  the  knowledges 
{scientifica)  of  the  natural  man,  its  reasonings  are  signified  h\  "  bees," 
for  as  bees  suck  out  and  derive  their  store  from  flowers,  so  the 
rational  does  from  the  knowledges  {scientifica)  of  the  natural  man 
Here,  however,"  bees"  signify  false  reasonings,  because  the  rationa 
gathers  what  belongs  to  it  from  knowledges  (scientifica)  falselj-  ap- 
plied. It  is  from  correspondences  that  these  are  likened  to  flies  and 
bees  ;  for  in  the  spiritual  world  flying  things  of  various  kinds  ap- 
pear, but  they  are  appearances  from  the  ideas  of  the  thoughts  of 
spirits,  and  the  noxious  flying  things  among  them  are  flies  and  bees 
of  such  a  kind.  "  The  flies  in  the  uttermost  part  of  the  rivers  of 
Egypt"  have  their  correspondence  from  their  springing  out  of  the 
fllth  of  rivers.  It  is  said  "which  shall  come  and  shall  rest  in  the 
rivers  of  desolations  and  in  the  clefts  of  the  rocks,"  which  signifies 
that  falsities  from  knowledges  {scientifica)  and  from  reasonings  there- 
from have  their  seat  where  there  are  no  truths,  and  where  there  is 
a  faith  of  falsity,  "rivers  of  desolations "  meaning  where  there  are 
no  truths,  and  "  clefts  of  the  rocks  "  where  there  is  a  faith  of  falsity; 
"on  all  thickets  and  in  all  courses"  signifies  that  knowledges  and 
perceptions  of  truth  are  falsified  by  such  things,  "thickets"  mean- 
ing knowledges  of  trutli,  and  "  courses  "  perceptions,  and  these  are 
falsified  bv  the  above-mentioned  falsities  when  thev  flow  in.     No 


958  APOCALYPSK    KXIM.AINED. 

one  can  see  and  know  that  these  arcana  are  contained  in  these 
words  except  from  the  internal  sense,  and  also  from  the  spiritual 
world.     [7.]   In  the  same, 

"The  palace  shall  be  a  desert,  the  multitude  of  the  city  forsaken,  the 
height  and  the  watch-tower  shall  he  over  the  caves  even  for  ever, 
a  joy  of  wild  asses  and  a  pasture  for  flocks"  (xxxii.  14). 

This  describes  the  total  vastation  of  the  church,  where  there  is  no 
lOnger  any  good  of  life  or  truth  of  do6frine  ;  yet  no  one  can  know 
what  is  involved  in  it  unless  he  is  acquainted  with  the  state  of 
things  in  the  spiritual  world,  and  also  with  the  internal  sense.  The 
devastation  of  the  whole  church  is  meant  bv  "  the  palace  shall  be  a 
desert,  and  the  multitude  of  the  city  forsaken,"  "palace"  signify- 
ing the  whole  church  in  respe6l  to  truths  from  good,  and  "desert" 
where  there  is  no  good  because  there  is  no  truth  ;  therefore  "the 
palace  shall  be  a  desert"  signifies  the  church  devastated.  "The 
multitude  of  the  city"  signifies  all  truths  of  do<51:rine,  for  "city" 
means  doctrine,  and  "multitude"  is  predicated  of  truths,  which 
are  said  to  be  "  forsaken  "  when  they  cease  to  be.  "  The  height  and 
the  watch-tower  shall  be  over  the  caves  even  for  ever  "  signifies 
that  a  church  shall  no  longer  exist  with  them,  because  there  is 
nothing  but  evil  of  life  and  falsity  of  do6lrine,  "  caves  "  signifying 
such  things  because  such  persons  dwell  in  caves,  as  was  said 
above  ;  and  because  such  persons  dwell  in  deep  places  in  the  spir- 
itual world,  and  are  covered  over  by  heights  and  watch-towers^ 
thus  hidden  from  those  who  abide  on  the  lands  there,  so  it  is  said 
not  only  that  "the  height  and  the  watch-tower  shall  be  over  the 
caves,"  but  also  that  they  shall  be  "a  joy  of  wild  asses  and  a  past- 
ure for  flocks."  Moreover,  in  that  world  there  are  man)'  hells  in 
deep  places  wholly  hidden  by  the  lands,  rocks,  and  hills  above, 
or  by  heights  and  watch-towers,  where  there  is  grass  like  a  past- 
ure for  flocks  ;  for  which  reason  these  hells  are  unknown  to  those 
who  dwell  there  upon  the  land.  "A  joy  of  wild  asses"  signifies 
^Iso  an  aflre6lion  or  love  for  falsities,  and  "a  pasture  for  flocks" 
the  nourishing  of  evils  by  falsities  ;  and  both  of  these  signify  the 
devastation  of  truth  by  falsities.  From  all  this  it  can  be  seen, 
what  an  arcanum  lies  hid  in  these  words.     [8.]    In  yeremiah: 

"  Is  this  house,  upon  which  My  name  is  named,  become  a  den  of  rob- 
bers?" (vii.  II.)  * 

"Den  of  robbers"  signifies  evil  of  life  from  falsities  of  dodlrine  ; 
and  "the  house  upon  which  My  name  is  named"  signifies  the 
church  where  there  is  worship  from  goods  of  life  by  truths  of 
dodtrine,  "house"  meaning  the  church,  and  "name  of  Jehovah" 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE    I5. — N.  4Io[6-].  959 

everything  by  which  he  is  worshipped,  thus  good  and  truth, — 
truth  of  do6lrine  and  good  of  Hfe.  The  church  where  there  is 
evil  of  Hfe  from  falsities  of  dodrine  is  called  "  a  den  of  robbers  "  be- 
cause "  den  "  signifies  that  evil,  and  those  are  called  "  robbers  "  who 
steal  truths  from  the  Word  and  pervert  them,  and  apply  them 
to  falsities  and  evils,  and  thus  extinguish  them.  All  this  makes 
clear  what  is  meant  by  the  Lord's  words  in  the  Gospels  : 

"  It  is  written,  My  house  shall  be  called  a  house  of  prayers  ;  but  ye  have 
made  it  a  den  of  robbers"  {Matt.  xxi.  13  ;  Mark  xi.  17  ;  Luke  xix. 

46). 

"House"  here,  in  the  most  general  sense,  signifies  the  church; 
and  because  worship  was  performed  in  the  temple  at  Jerusalem, 

it  is  called  "a  house  of  prayers."  (That  the  temple  signifies  the  church, 
see  A.C.,  n.  3720 ;  that  "  prayers  "  signify  worship,  see  above,  n.  3^5  '<  that  "  to  be 
called"  has  the  same  signification  as  "  to  name  My  name  upon  them,"  above,  see 

-•v.c,  n.  3421.)     [9.]    \n  Isaiah: 

"  The  suckling  shall  play  on  the  hole  of  the  adder,  and  the  weaned  child 
shall  put  his  hand  on  the  basilisk's  den  "  (xi.  8). 

Neither  can  this  be  understood  unless  it  is  known,  from  the  things 
that  appear  in  the  spiritual  world,  what  is  meant  by  "  the  hole  of 
the  adder  "  and  by  "  the  basilisk's  den."  It  was  said  above  that  the 
entrances  to  the  hells  appear  like  holes  in  the  rocks  and  gaps 
opening  into  caves,  such  as  wild  beasts  in  the  forests  have  ;  those 
who  dwell  in  these,  when  they  are  looked  at  in  the  light  of  heaven 
appear  like  monsters  of  various  kinds  and  like  wild  beasts.  Those 
who  are  in  the  hells  where  those  dwell  who  act  craftih-  against  in- 
nocence appear  like  adders,  and  those  who  acl  craftilv  against 
the  good  of  love  appear  Hke  basilisks;  and  as  "suckling"  or 
"sucking  infant"  signifies  the  good  of  innocence  it  is  said  "the 
suckling  shall  play  on  the  hole  of  the  adder ;"  and  as  "a  weaned 
child,"  or  an  infant  that  has  stopped  sucking,  signifies  good  of 
love,  it  is  said,  "  and  the  weaned  child  shall  put  his  hand  on  the 
basilisk's  den,"  and  this  signifies  that  those  who  are  in  the  good 
of  innocence  and  in  the  good  of  love  to  the  Lord  have  no  fear 
whatever  of  evils  and  falsities  which  are  from  hell,  because  they 

are  prote6led  by  the  Lord.  (That  "  infants."  in  the  Word,  and  also  "  suck, 
lings,"  signify  the  good  of  innocence,  see  A.C,  n.  430,  3183  ;  and  what  "adders  "  and 
other  poisonous  serpents  signify,  n.  9013.)       ['O-l     Li    ^^yciuiah  : 

"  Take  the  girdle  that  thou  hast  bought  for  thyself,  which  is  upon  thy 
loins,  and  arise  and  go  to  Euphrates,  and  hide  it  in  a  hole  of  the 
rock."  This  he  did  ;  and  afterwards  at  the  end  of  many  days  he 
went  there  and  took  it  again,  "  and  behold  the  girdle  was  marrf :! 
and  was  profitable  for  nothing  "  (xiii.  4-7). 


90o  APOCALYPSE    liXl'l.AlM  .1 ). 

This  represented  the  chara6ler  of  the  Jevvisli  church,  namely,  that 
it  was  destitute  of  all  good  of  life  and  truth  of  doctrine.  For  "  the 
girdle"  upon  the  loins  of  the  prophet  signified  the  conjunction 
of  the  Lord  with  the  church  by  means  of  the  Word  ;  "  Euphra- 
tes" signifies  everything  of  the  church  in  respect  to  good,  here 
in  respecl  to  evil;  and  "rock"  everything  of  the  church  in  re- 
spett  to  truth,  here  in  respedl  to  falsity,  for  it  is  said  "a  hole  of 
the  rock."  That  "the  girdle  was  marred  so  as  to  be  profitable 
for  nothing"  signified  that  there  was  no  conjundlion  whatever  of 
the  church  with  the  Lord,  consequently  that  there  was  no  churcli. 
[II.]  "Cave"  has  the  same  significance  in  the  histories  of  the 
Word  as  in  the  prophesies  of  the  Word  ;  for  the  histories  of 
the  Word,  the  same  as  the  prophesies  of  the  Word,  contain  an 
internal  sense.  Thus  it  is  related  of  Lot,  that  after  the  burning 
of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah 

He  dwelt  in  a  cave  of  the  mountain  with  his  two  daughters,  who  made 
him  drunk  and  lay  with  him ;  whence  were  born  Moab  and  Am- 
mon  {Gen.  xix.  30-33). 

The  representation  and  signification  of  this  occurence  is  the  same 
as  that  of  Moab  and  Ammon  in  the  Word,  for  "Moab"  signifies 
the  adulteration  of  the  good  of  the  church,  and  "  Ammon  "  the 
falsification  of  the  truth  of  the  church  (see  A.c,  n.  2468,  8315) ;  and 
"adulteries"  and  "whoredoms"  signify  in  general  adulterations 
of  good  and  falsifications  of  truth  (see  above,  n.  141,  161 )  ;  and  the 
various  kinds  of  adulteries  and  whoredoms  (such  as  are  enumer- 
ated in  Leviticus  xviii.  6-30),  signify  various  kinds  of  adultera- 
tions and  falsifications  of  good  and  truth  ;  and  this  is  why  Lot 
is  here  called  a  dweller  "in  a  cave;"  such  an  abomination  being 
signified  here  by  "cave  of  the  mountain."  In  the  Book  of  Judges 
it  is  said 

That  the  sons  of  Israel  did  evil  in  the  eyes  of  Jehovah,  and  therefore 
were  delivered  into  the  hand  of  Midian  ;  and  because  of  Midian 
they  made  for  themselves  caves  in  the  mountains  and  dens  and 
strongholds  (vi.  i,  2). 

The  "evil"  which  the  sons  of  Israel  did  means  the  perversion  of 
good  and  truth,  as  can  be  seen  from  what  follows  there,  and  also 
from  the  signification  of  "  Midian  "  (see  A.C,  n.  3242),  on  account  of 
whom  they  made  for  themselves  caves  in  the  mountains,  and  dens  ; 
for  the  sons  of  Israel  were  possessed  by  the  evil  signified  by  "  Mid- 
ian," "because  of  Midian"  signifying  on  account  of  that  evil.  It 
was  the  same  when  the  sons  of  Israel  fled  on  account  of  the  Phil- 
istines (i  Samuel  xiii.  6). 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE    l6. — N.  4Il[a].  961 

4Il[#l]«  [ Verse  16]  "And  the/ said  to  the  mountains  and  to  the 
rocks,  Fall  on  us,"  signifies  to  be  covered  over  by  evils  and  by  fals- 
ities therefrom. — This  is  evident  from  the  signification  of  "mount- 
ains," as  meaning  the  evils  that  fiow  fioni  the  loves  of  self  and  of 
the  world  (of  which  above,  n.  dfi^ig-iY)  \  also  from  the  signification  of 
■'  rocks,"  as  meaning  falsities  from  evil  (of  which  below) ;  also  from 
:he  signification  of  "fall  on  us,"  as  meaning  to  be  covered  by 
Lhem.  These  things,  too,  must  be  illustrated  by  such  things  as 
occur  in  the  spiritual  world  when  there  is  a  final  judgment ;  for 
they  are  said  respecting  the  last  judgment,  as  is  evident  from  the 
following  verse,  where  it  is  said,  "  for  the  great  day  of  His  an- 
ger is  come,  and  who  is  able  to  stand?"  that  "day"  meaning  the 
time  and  state  of  the  last  judgment.  The  state  of  the  wicked  then 
is  such  that  from  the  mountains  and  rocks  upon  which  they  have 
made  their  habitations  they  cast  themselves  down  into  the  hells, 
more  or  less  deeply  according  to  the  atrocity  of  their  evils  and 
falsities  ;  and  this  they  themselves  do,  because  they  cannot  endure 
Divine  good  and  Divine  truth,  the  higher  heavens  then  being 
opened,  from  which  the  light  of  heaven  flows  in,  vi^hich  is  Divinr 
truth  united  to  Divine  good,  by  which  light  their  pretended  goods 
and  truths  are  constri6led,  and  these  being  constricted  their  evils 
and  falsities  are  loosened  ;  and  as  evils  and  falsities  cannot  endure 
the  light  of  heaven,  for  they  are  pained  and  tortured  by  it,  these 
spirits  cast  themselves  from  the  mountains  and  rocks  into  the  hells, 
more  or  less  deeply  according  to  the  quality  of  their  evil  and  fals- 
ity ;  some  into  gaps  and  caves,  and  some  into  holes  and  among 
rocks,  which  then  stand  open  before  them  ;  but  as  soon  as  they 
have  cast  themselves  in,  the  openings  are  closed  up.  In  this  way 
the  casting  out  of  evil  spirits  from  the  mountains  and  hills  which 
they  have  occupied  is  efte6ted  (see  above,  n.  391  [<j],  392[a],  394);  and 
when  they  are  in  the  caves  and  among  the  rocks  the  pains  and 
torments  they  suffered  from  the  influx  of  the  light  of  heaven 
cease  ;  for  they  find  rest  in  their  evils  and  in  the  falsities  there- 
from, because  these  had  been  their  delights  ;  for  the  delights  of 
his  life  remain  with  every  one  after  death,  and  the  delights  of  life 
are  the  delights  of  their  loves,  for  every  delight  of  life  is  from  love. 
[2.]  From  this  the  signification  of  their  "calling  to  the  mount- 
ains and  the  rocks  to  fall  on  them  "  can  be  seen  ;  likewise  what  is 
signified  in  Hosea  : 

"They  shall  say  to  the  mountains,  Cover  us,  and  to  the  hills,  Fall  on 
us  "  (x.  8). 

And  in  Luke: 


9t'2  ArOCAr.YPSF.    F.XPLAINED. 

"Then  shall  they  begin  to  say  to  the  mountains,  Kail  on  us,  and  to  the 
hills,  Hide  us"  (xxiii.  30). 

This,  too,  treats  of  the  final  judy^inent.  The  light  of  heaven,  w  '...rh 
is  Divine  truth  united  to  Divine  good,  by  the  influx  and  presence 
of  which  the  evil  who  cast  themselves  down  are  pained  and  tor- 
mented, is  meant  by  the  words  immediately  following  in  this 
verse  :  "  Hide  us  from  the  face  of  Him  that  sittelh  on  the  throne, ' 
and  from  the  anger  of  the  Lamb."  It  is  said  "  anger  of  the  Lamb" 
because  they  are  in  torment ;  but  their  torment  is  not  from 
that,  but  from  the  evils  of  their  loves  and  from  the  falsities 
of  their  faith ;  and  because  these  evils  and  falsities  have  formed 
all  the  interiors  of  their  mind  (for  each  one's  mind  is  formed  by 
his  love  and  its  faith,  even  so  as  to  be  a  likeness  of  these  in 
form),  and  because  the  interiors  of  the  mind  of  those  who  are  in 
evils  and  in  falsities  therefrom  are  turned  away  in  a  contrarv  di- 
re(5lion,  or  to  a  quarter  opposite  to  Di\  ine  goods  and  truths,  there- 
fore when  Divine  truth  flows  in  and  endeavors  to  reverse  the  ac- 
tion of  the  interiors  of  their  mind,  and  thereby  to  lead  them  into 
heaven  (for  this  is  what  Divine  truth  going  forth  from  the  Lord 
always  does  when  it  flows  in),  and  they  are  unwilling  to  abandon 
the  delights  of  their  loves,  they  suffer  pain  and  torment ;  but  these 
cease  when  they  come  into  the  hells  where  like  delights  or  like 
loves  prevail. 

[ft.]  [3.]  Having  shown  above  (n.  405)  what  "mountains  and 
hills"  signify,  it  shall  now  be  shown  what  "  rocks"  signify,  namely, 
that  they  signify  truth  from  spiritual  good,  also  the  truth  and 
good  of  faith,  but  in  the  contrary  sense  the  falsity  of  faith.  This 
signification  of  "rocks"  is  also  from  appearances  in  the  spiritual 
world  ;  for  rocks  and  crags  are  seen  there  as  mountains  and  hills 
are  seen,  as  was  shown  above,  and  upon  the  rocks  there  those 
dwell  who  are  in  truths  from  spiritual  good,  and  who  are  in  the 
truth  and  good  of  faith.  The  difference  between  the  mountains 
and  hills  and  the  rocks  and  crags  is  that  the  former  are  of  soil, 
and  the  latter  of  stone,  and  "soil"  corresponds  to  and  thus  signi- 
fies good  of  love,  and  "stone"  corresponds  to  and  thus  signifies 
truth  of  faith.  And  as  most  things  in  the  Word  have  also  a  con- 
trary sense,  so  do  "rocks,"  and  in  that  sense  they  signify  falsity 
of  faith,  and  this  also  from  correspondence ;  for  those  who  are 
in  the  falsities  of  faith  dwell  there  within  the  rocks  in  caverns. 
[4.]  That  "rock"  signifies  truth  from  good  and  truth  of  faith, 
and  in  the  highest  sense  the  Lord  in  respe6l  to  these,  is  evident 
from  the  following  passages.     In  Daniel: 


CHAP.   VI.,  VERSE    l6. — N.  4I  l[^].  963 

"  Thou  wast  seeing  till  that  a  stone  was  cut  out,  not  by  hands,  and  it 

smote  the  image  upon  his  feet,  that  were  iron  and  clay And 

the  stone  that  smote  the  image  became  a  great  rock  and  filled  the 
whole  earth  "  (ii.  34,  35). 

This  was  said  of  the  image  that  Nebuchadnezzar  saw  in  his  dream. 
"The  stone  that  became  a  great  rock"  means  the  Lord,  as  is  evi- 
dent from  the  particulars  here.  But  first  let  the  signification  of 
what  precedes  be  told.  "  The  head  of  the  image"  which  was  gold, 
signifies  the  Most  Ancient  church,  which  was  a  celestial  church, 
or  a  church  in  which  good  of  love  to  the  Lord  reigned  ;  this  good 
is  signified  in  the  Word  by  "gold,"  and  also  by  "the  head." 
"The  breast"  and  "the  arms"  which  were  silver,  signify  the  An- 
cient church,  which  succeeded  the  Most  Ancient,  and  this  church 
was  a  spiritual  church,  or  a  church  in  which  good  of  charity 
towards  the  neighbor,  and  truth  from  that  good,  reigned.  This 
truth  and  good  are  signified  by  "  silver,"  and  also  by  "  the  breast " 
and  "the  ar.ms."  "The  belly  and  the  thighs  which  were  brass" 
signifv  the  church  that  succeeded  the  Ancient  spiritual  church 
and  which  may  be  called  spiritual-natural ;  in  this  church  good 
of  faith  and  truth  from  that  good  reigned  ;  this  good  is  sig- 
nified in  the  Word  by  "brass,"  and  also  by  "the  belly"  and  "the 
thighs."  But  "the  legs  and  the  feet,  which  were  part  iron  and 
part  clav,"  signify  the  Israelitish  and  Jewish  church,  which  was 
an  external  church  without  any  internal,  and  which  therefore  had 
no  good  or  truth,  but  truth  falsified  which  in  itself  is  falsity,  and 
good  adulterated  which  in  itself  is  evil :  therefore  it  is  said  re- 
specting it  in  this  chapter, 

"Whereas  thou  sawest  iron  mixed  with  miry  clay,  they  shall  mingle 
themselves  with  the  seed  of  man  ;  but  they  shall  not  cohere  one 
with  the  other,  even  as  iron  doth  not  mingle  with  clay  "  (verse  43). 

"  Iron  "  signifies  natural  truth,  and  "  miry  clay  "  natural  good, "  the 
feet  and  legs"  have  the  same  meaning;  but  here  "clay"  signi- 
fies good  adulterated,  and  "  iron "  such  truth  as  there  is  in  the 
external  sense  of  the  Word  ;  for  "  the  seed  of  man  "  means  the 
Word  where  there  are  goods  and  truths,  the  adulterations  and 
falsifications  of  which  are  described  by  "iron  mixed  with  clay, 
which  do  not  cohere  one  with  the  other."     (That  then.-  have  been  four 

churches,  one  after  another,  may  be  seen  in  the  Dodrhie  of  the  New  yerusalem,  n. 

247,  248.)  "The  stone"  that  smote  the  image  means  Divine  truth 
from  the  Lord;  that  "it  became  a  great  rock  and  filled  the 
whole  earth"  signifies  that  the  Lord  by  Divine  truth  is  to  rule 
over  heaven  and  the  church,  "earth"  here  meaning  the  church 


964  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

and  also  heaven;  therefore  it  is  added  that  this  kingdom  "shall 
stand  for  ever"  (verse  44),  "kingdom"  also  signifying  the  church 
and  heaven,  for  the  kingdom  of  God  is  in  these.  That  Divine 
truth  is  here  meant  by  "stone,"  and  the  Lord  in  respe(5l  to  Divine 
truth  by  "rock,"  is  evident  from  the  signification  of  "stone"  in 
the  Word  when  predicated  of  the  Lord 

(as  in  Genesis  xlix.  24 ;  Psalm  cxviii.  22,  23 ;  Isaiah  xxviii.  16 ;  Matt. 
xxi.  42,  44  ;  Mark  xii.  10,  11 ;  Luke  xx.  17,  18). 

Whether  you  say  the  Lord  or  Divine  truth  it  is  the  same,  since 
all  Divine  truth  is  from  Him,  and  thus  He  is  in  it ;  and  it  is  from 
this  that  the  Lord  is  called  "  the  Word,"  for  the  Word  is  Divine 

truth.  (That  "  stone  "  in  the  highest  sense  signifies  the  Lord  in  respecft  to  Divine 
truth,  and  thus  in  a  lower  sense  truth  from  good,  see  A.C.,  n.  643,  1298,  3720.  6426, 
8609,  10376.) 

[c]  [5.]    That  "rock"  signifies  the  Lord  in  respecl  to  Divine 
truth,  is  plain  from 

The  rock  in  Horeb  from  which  waters  were  given  to  the  Israelitish  peo- 
ple {Exod.  xvii.  5,  6)  ; 

and  that  it  was  commanded 

That  Moses  and  Aaron  should  speak  unto  the  rock,  and  thus  should 
sancflify  Jehovah  in  the  eyes  of  the  sons  of  Israel ;  but  that  Moses 
smote  it  with  a  staff  two  times,  therefore  it  was  declared  to  Moses 
and  Aaron  that  they  should  not  bring  the  people  into  the  land  of 
Canaan  {Num.  xx.  8-13). 

It  is  well  known  in  the  church  that  this  "  rock  "  signified  the  Lord  ; 
but  it  is  not  known  that  it  had  this  signification  because  "  rock  " 
in  the  Word  signifies  the  Divine  truth  that  goes  forth  from  the 
Lord  ;  this  was  why  Moses  and  Aaron  were  commanded  to  speak 
to  it,  and  thus  to  san6lify  Jehovah  in  the  eyes  of  the  sons  of  Is- 
rael. Also  "the  waters"  that  flowed  forth  signify  Divine  truth; 
and  "  the  people  drinking  of  them  "  signifies  to  nourish  spiritualK-, 
which  is  done  by  instru6ling  and  teaching.     {That  "waters"  si-jnify 

truths,  see  above,  n.  7I  ;  and  that  "to  drink,  '  and  "  to  be  given  to  drink,  '  sig;nify  to 
be  instructed  and  to  be  taught,  see  A.C.,  n.  3069.  3772,  4017,  4018.  8562,  9412.)     I  he 

same  is  signified  by  "rock"  in  Isaiah  : 

"They  shall  not  thirst;  He  will  lead  them  in  waste  places;  He  will 
cause  the  waters  to  flow  out  of  the  rock  for  them,  when  he  cleav- 
eth  the  rock  that  the  waters  rra/  flow  out"  (xlviii.  21). 

In  David  : 

"  He  clave  the  rocks  in  the  desert,  and  made  them  to  drink  of  the  great 
depths ;  and  He  brought  streams  out  of  the  rock  ;.  .  .  .and  they  re- 
membered  that  God  was  their  rock,  and  the  most  high  God  their 
Redeemer"  {Psalm  Ixxviii.  15,  16,  20,  35). 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE  1 6. — N.  4Il[<r].  965 

In  the  same, 

"He  opened  the  rock  that  the  waters  might  gusn  out;  they  ran  in  the 
dry  places  like  a  river  "  {Psalm  cv.  41). 

In  the  same, 

"  Before  the  Lord  thou  art  in  travail,  O  earth,  before  the  God  of  Jacob ; 
who  turned  the  rock  into  a  pool  of  waters,  the  flint  into  a  fountain 
of  waters  "  {Psalm  cxiv.  7,  8). 

That  "  rock  "  in  these  passages  signifies  the  Lord  in  respect  to 
Divine  truth,  or  what  is  the  same,  Divine  truth  from  the  Lord,  is 
evident  from  what  has  been  said  above,  also  from  the  fa6l  that 
these  two  passages  in  David  treat  of  the  redemption  and  the 
regeneration  of  men  of  the  church,  and  this  is  effe<5led  by  means 
of  Divine  truth  from  the  Lord.  Redemption  is  treated  of  in  these 
words,  "they  remembered  that  God  was  their  rock,  and  the  most 
high  God  their  Redeemer;"  regeneration  in  these  words,  "Be- 
rbre  the  Lord  thou  art  in  travail,  O  earth,"  "to  be  in  travail" 
when  predicated  of  the  church,  signifying  to  be  reformed  and 
regenerated.     [6.]  In  Isaiah  : 

"  Hearken  unto  me,  ye  that  follow  after  righteousness,  ye  that  seek  Jeho- 
vah ;  look  unto  the  rock  out  of  which  ye  were  hewn,  and  to  the 
digging  out  of  the  pit  out  of  which  ye  were  digged  "  (li.  i). 

The  "rock"  means  the  Lord  in  respe6l  to  Divine  truth,  and  the 
"pit"  signifies  the  Word,  as  in  other  places ;  "to  be  hewn  out  of 
the  rock"  and  "to  be  digged  out  of  the  pit"  signify  to  be  regen- 
erated by  Divine  truths  and  Divine  goods,  thus  by  truths  from 
good  from  the  Lord  ;  for  "  stones,"  that  are  cut  out  of  a  rock,  sig- 
nify truths  from  the  Lord  ;  and  "  soil,"  that  is  dug  out  of  a  pit, 
signifies  good  from  the  Lord,  therefore  it  is  called  "  the  digging 
out  of  the  pit."     [7.1    In  Moses: 

"Ascribe  ye  greatness  unto  our  God  ;  the  rock,  whose  work  is  perfeA, 

and  all  His  ways  are  judgment He  made  him  to  ride  on  the 

high  places  of  the  earth,  and  feedeth  him  with  the  produce  of  the 
fields  ;  He  maketh  him  to  suck  honey  out  ol  the  cliff,  and  oil  out 

out  of  the  flinty  rock The  rock  that  begat  thee  hast  thou 

given  to  forgetfulness,  and  hast  forgotten  God  thy  Former 

Is  it  not  because  their  rock  hath  sold  them,  and  Jehovah  hath  shut 
them  up  ?  For  their  rock  is  not  as  our  rock,  neither  are  our  ene- 
mies judges  "  {Deut.  xxxii.  3,  4,  13,  18,  30.  31). 

This  is  said  of  the  Ancient  church,  which  was  a  church  that  was 
in  truths  from  good  ;  therefore  truths  from  good  are  described  by 
various  things  that  correspond,  as  "  He  made  him  to  ride  on  the 
high  places  of  the  earth.  He  fed  him  with  the  produce  of  the 
fields.  He  made  him  to  suck  honey  out  of  the  rock,  and  oil  out  of 


966  APOCALYPSE   EXPLAINED. 

the  flinty  rock."  Intelligence  in  the  spiritual  things  of  this  church 
is  .signified  by  "  He  made  him  to  ride  on  the  high  places  of  the 
earth,"  "to  ride"  signifying  to  understand,  " the  high  places  of 
the  earth  "  meaning  the  spiritual  things  of  the  church  ;  spiritual 
nourishment  therefrom  is  signified  by  "  He  fed  him  with  the  pro- 
duce of  the  fields,"  "  to  feed  "  meaning  to  nourish,  and  "  produce  of 
the  fields"  meaning  all  things  of  the  church.  That  they  had  nat- 
ural good  and  spiritual  good  through  Divine  truth  from  the  Lord 
is  signified  by  "  He  made  him  to  suck  honey  out  of  the  cliff, 
and  oil  out  of  the  flinty  rock,"  "  honey"  meaning  natural  good, 
"oil"  spiritual  good,  "cliflf"  external  Divine  truth  from  the  Lord 
which  is  for  the  natural  man,  and  "flinty  rock"  internal  Divine 
truth  from  the  Lord  which  is  for  the  spiritual  man.  The  Jewish 
church,  which  was  not  in  any  Divine  truth,  is  next  treated  of, 
and  respecting  this  it  is  said,  "the  rock  that  begat  thee  hast  thou 
given  to  forgetfulness,  and  hast  forgotten  God  thy  Former," 
which  signifies  that  the  Lord,  and  thus  Divine  truth,  by  which  the 
church  is  reformed,  were  rejefted,  "rock"  meaning  the  Lord  in 
respeft  to  Divine  truth,  and  "that  begat  thee,"  and  "God  the 
Former"  signifying  to  be  reformed  by  the  Lord  by  means  of  Di- 
vine truth.  That  they  were  wholly  deprived  of  truth  and  good 
is  signified  by  "their  rock  hath  sold  them,  and  Jehovah  hath 
shut  them  up,"  "rock"  having  reference  to  truth,  and  "Jehovah" 
to  good  ;  "to  sell"  and  "to  shut  up"  means  to  be  deprived  of 
That  they  would  be  in  falsity  from  evil  is  signified  by  "their  rock 
is  not  as  our  rock,  neither  are  our  enemies  judges,"  "their  rock  " 
meaning  falsity,  "our  enemies"  evils,  "not  judges"  signifying  not 
truths  and  goods.  From  this  it  can  be  seen  that  "rock  "  signifies 
the  Lord  in  respedl  to  Divine  truth,  and  in  the  contrary  sense, 
falsity.     [8.]    In  the  Second  Book  of  Samtiel : 

"The  spirit  of  Jehovah  spake  in  me,  and  his  speech  was  upon  my 
tongue.  The  God  of  Israel  said,  the  rock  of  Israel  spake  [to  me], 
He  that  ruleth  over  the  righteous  man,  that  ruleth  over  [him  that 
hath]  the  fear  of  God  "  (xxiii.  2,  3). 

"  Rock  "  here  manifestly  stands  for  the  Lord,  for  "  God  of  Israel " 
means  in  the  Word  the  Lord ;  therefore  it  is  said  "the  Spirit  of 
Jehovah  spake  in  me,  and  his  speech  was  upon  my  tongue,"  also 
"  the  God  of  Israel  said,  the  rock  of  Israel  spake  to  me."  The 
"  spirit  of  Jehovah,"  and  "  his  speech  "  signify  Divine  truth,  and  the 
Lord  is  called  "the  God  of  Israel"  from  worship,  and  "the  rock 
of  Israel "  from  Divine  truth,  from  which  is  worship.  Because  it 
is  the  Lord  who  is  meant,  it  is  said  that "  the  rock  of  Israel  spake." 
His  dominion  over  those  who  are  in  good  and  those  who  are  in 


CHAP.   VI.,   VERSE    l6. — N.  4Il[^].  967 

truth  is  signified  by  "  He  that  ruleth  over  the  righteous  man, 
that  ruleth  over  him  that  liath  the  fear  of  God,"  "  righteousness  " 
is  predicated  of  good,  and  "fear  of  God  "  of  truth  ;  for  this  psahii 
of  David  treats  of  the  Lord,  which  makes  clear  that  the  Lord  is 
meant  by  "the  God  of  Lsrael,"  and  "the  rock  of  Israel."  [9.]  In 
David  : 

"Othat  My  people  may  hearken  unto  Me,  that  Israel  might  walk  in  My 
ways !  ....  I  would  feed  them  with  the  fat  of  wheat  ;  and  with 
honey  out  of  the  rock  I  would  satisfy  them  "  {Psalm  Ixxxi.  13,  16). 

Here,  too,  "rock"  means  the  Lord  in  respe6l  to  Divine  truth  (as 

maybe  seen  above,  n.  374[^],  where  this  is  explained).      In  the  Same, 

"  Who  is  God  save  Jehovah,  or  who  is  a  rock  besides  my  God  ?  . .  . . 
Jehovah  liveth,  and  blessed  be  my  rock  ;  and  the  God  of  my  salva- 
tion shall  be  exalted"  {Psalm  xviii.  2,  31,  46  ;  2  Sam.  xxii.  2,  3,  32, 
47). 

It  is  said  "  Who  is  God  save  Jehovah,  and  who  is  a  rock  besides 
my  God?"  because  where  Divine  good  is  treated  of  the  Lord  is 
called  "Jehovah,"  and  where  Divine  truth  is  treated  of  He  is  called 
" God,"  and  also  "rock," as  here ;  so  afterwards,  "Jehovah  liveth, 
and  blessed  be  my  rock."  "The  God  of  my  salvation  shall  be 
exalted  "  signifies  that  He  must  be  worshipped  by  means  of  truths 
from  good,  from  which  is  salvation  ;  "to  be  exalted,"  in  reference 
to  God,  is  predicated  of  worship  from  good  by  means  of  truths. 
[lO.]    In  the  same, 

"  Let  the  words  of  My  mouth  and  the  meditation  of  my  heart  be  well- 
pleasing  in  Thy  sight,  O  Jehovah,  my  rock  and  my  Redeemer " 
{Psalm  xix.  14). 

"Jehovah  the  rock  "  has  the  same  signification  as  "Jehovah  God," 
namely,  the  Lord  in  respedl  to  Divine  good  and  Divine  truth ; 
and  He  is  called  "  Redeemer  "  from  regeneration,  which  is  effe6led 
by  Divine  truth  ;  "  words  of  the  mouth  "  signify  understanding  of 
truth,  and  "meditation  of  the  heart"  perception  of  good.  In  the 
same, 

"  I  say  unto  God  my  rock.Why  hast  thou  forgotten  me  ?"  {Psalm  xlii.  g.) 

"  God  the  rock  "  means  the  Lord  in  respe<5l  to  Divine  truth,  here 
in  respe6^  to  defence.     In  the  same, 

"  Unto  Thee  do  I  cry,  O  Jehovah  my  rock  ;  be  not  silent  from  me  :  lest 
Thou  be  silent  from  me  . . .  .  "  {Psalm  xxviii.  i). 

Here,  too,  "Jehovah"  and  "rock"  are  mentioned,  because  "Je- 
hovah" means  the  Lord  in  respect  to  Divine  good,  and  "rock" 


y68  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

the  Lord  in  respect  to  Divine  truth,  and  as  both  are  meant  it 
is  twice  said,  "be  not  silent  from  me,"  "lest  Thou  be  silent  liom 
me;"  one  having  reference  to  Divine  good,  the  other  to  Divine 
truth,  for  in  the  Word  there  is  a  heavenly  marriage  in  every 
particular,  which  is  the  marriage  of  good  and  truth.  In  Hab- 
akkuk  : 

"  O  Jehovah,  Thou  hast  ordained  him  for  judgment ;  and  Thou,  O  rock, 
hast  strengthened  him  for  corredlion"  (i.  12). 

In  Isaiah  : 

"Trust  ye  in  Jehovah  for  ever;  for  in  Jah  Jehovah  is  a  rock  of  eterni- 
ty "  (xxvi.  4). 

In  the  same, 

"  Ye  shall  have  a  song  like  that  of  the  night  of  celebrating  the  feast  ;  and 
joy  of  heart  as  of  one  going  with  a  pipe  to  come  into  the  mountain 
of  Jehovah,  to  the  rock  of  Israel"  (xxx.  29). 

In  the  same, 

"Is  there  a  God  beside  Me?  yea,  there  is  no  rock,  I  know  not  any" 
(xliv.  8). 

In  David : 

"  We  will  make  a  joyful  noise  unto  the  rock  of  our  salvation  ;  we  will 
come  before  His  faces  with  confession  "  {Psalm  xcv.  i,  2). 

In  the  First  Book  of  Samuel : 

"  There  is  none  holy  as  Jehovah  ; . . . .  and  there  is  no  rock  like  our  God  " 
(ii.  2). 

In  David  : 

"  Upright  is  Jehovah  my  rock"  (xcii.  15). 

In  the  same, 

"  He  shall  call  Me,  Thou  art  my  Father,  my  God,  the  rock  of  my  sal- 
vation. And  I  will  make  Him  the  first-bom,  high  above  the  kings 
of  the  earth  "  (^Psalm  Ixxxix.  26,  27). 

[II.]  In  these  passages,  "rock"  means  Divine  truth  from  the 
Lord  and  the  Lord  Himself  as  well  as  in  other  passages.  As  in 
the  Gospels  : 

"  Every  one  that  heareth  My  words  and  doeth  them,  I  will  liken  him  to 
a  prudent  man,  who  built  his  house  upon  a  rock ;  and  the  rain  de- 
scended, and  the  floods  came,  and  the  winds  blew,  and  beat  upon 
that  house,  yet  it  fell  not,  for  it  was  founded  upon  a  rock  "  {Matt. 
vii.  24,  25  ;  Luke  vi.  48). 

"The  house  founded  upon  a  rock"  means  the  church  and  the 
man  of  the  church  who  has  founded  his  doClrine  and  life  upon 
Divine  truth,  which  is  from  the  Lord,  thus  upon  those  things  that 


CHAP.  VI.,  VEKSK    l6. — N.  4Il[fl^].  969 

are  in  the  Word,  consequently  one  who  is  in  truths  from  good  from 
the  Lord.  It  is  said,  who  is  in  truths  from  good,  because  Divine 
truth  is  not  received  by  any  one  who  is  not  in  good.  To  be  in 
good  is  to  be  in  good  of  life,  which  is  charity,  therefore  it  is  said 
"he  that  heareth  My  words  and  doeth  them  ;"  "doing  the  Lord's 
words "  is  good  of  life,  for  truth,  when  a  man  does  it,  becomes 
good  because  it  then  enters  the  will  and  love,  and  whatever  be- 
comes of  the  will  and  love  is  called  good.  Temptations,  in  which 
such  a  man  of  the  church  does  not  fall  but  conquers,  are  signified 
by  "the  rain  descended,  the  floods  came,  the  winds  blew,  and  beat 
upon  the  house,  and  yet  it  fell  not,  for  it  was  founded  upon  a 
rock,"  for  in  the  Word  "floods  of  waters"  and  "rains,"  and  also 
"tempests  of  wind,"  signify  temptations.  This,  to  be  sure,  is  a 
comparison,  but  it  should  be  known  that  all  comparisons  in  the 
Word  are  as  much  according  to  correspondences  as  are  the  thingfs 

not  said  comparatively  (see  above,  n.  69;   and  A.C.,  n.  3579,  8989). 

[«I.]  Ail  this  makes  plainly  evident  that  "rock"  in  the  Word 
signifies  the  Lord  in  resped  to  Divine  truth,  or  Divine  truth  from 
the  Lord.  [12.]  From  this  it  can  be  seen  what  is  signified  by  the 
Lord's  words  to  Peter,  in  Matthezv : 

Jesus  said  to  the  disciples,  "  But  who  say  ye  that  I  am  ?  Simon  Peter 
answered,  Thou  art  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God.  Jesus 
answering  said  unto  him,  Blessed  art  thou,  Simon  son  of  Jonah  ; 
for  flesh  and  blood  hath  not  revealed  it  unto  thee,  but  My  Father 
who  is  in  the  heavens.  I  say  unto  thee.  Thou  art  Peter,  and  upon 
this  rock  I  will  build  My  chiirch,  and  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not 
prevail  against  it.  And  I  will  give  unto  thee  the  keys  of  the  king- 
dom of  the  heavens,  that  whatsoever  thou  shalt  bind  on  earth  shall 
be  bound  in  the  heavens,  and  whatsoever  thou  shalt  loose  on  earth 
shall  be  loosed  in  the  heavens"  (xvi.  15-19). 

"Peter"  here  does  not  mean  Peter,  but  Divine  truth  from  the 
Lord  (as  in  the  passages  cited  above) ;  for  all  the  Lord's  disciples  to- 
gether represented  the  church,  and  every  one  of  them  some  con- 
stituent of  the  church,  "Peter"  the  truth  of  the  church,  "James" 
its  good,  and  "John  "  good  in  a6^,  that  is,  works  ;  the  rest  of  the 
disciples  represented  the  truths  and  goods  that  are  derived  from 
these,  just  the  same  as  the  twelve  tribes  of  Lsrael.  That  this  is  so 
will  be  seen  in  what  follows,  where  the  tribes  and  the  disciples  are 
treated  of  This  is  why  these  three  disciples  are  mentioned  in 
the  Word  more  frequently  than  the  others.  [13.]  The  Lord  ad- 
dressed these  words  to  Peter  because  he  then  confessed,  saying, 
"Thou  art  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God,"  which  in  the 
spiritual  sense  signifies  that  He  is  the  Divine  truth ;  this  is  signi- 
fied by  "  Christ,"  also  by  "  the  Son  of  God."    (That  this  is  signified 


97''  APOC.VLVrSE    EXI'LAIM.D. 

by  "Christ,"  see  A  C,  n.  3004,3005,  3009;  and  by  "the  Son  of  God"  above,  n. 

63,  151,  166.)  By  virtue  of  this  confession  "Peter"  represented 
Divine  truth  from  the  Lord  in  the  church,  and  for  this  reason  he 
was  called  "a  rock  (/<'/r,r),"  and  it  is  said  "thou  art  a  rock  i/>eo:i., 
upon  this  rock  (/<•//■<;)  I  will  buikl  My  church,"  which  signifies 
upon  Divine  truth  from  the  Lord,  or  what  is  the  same,  u[)on 
truths  from  good,  for  upon  these  the  church  is  built.  That  Peter 
might  represent  this  in  the  church  he  was  called  by  the  Lord  "a 
rock  (/>c/ra),"  as  is  evident  in  yohn : 

"Jesus  looking  upon  him  said  unto  him,  Thou  art  Simon  the  son  of  Jo- 
nah ;  thou  shalt  be  called  Cephas,  which  is,  by  interpretation,  a 
rock  {petra)  "  (i.  42). 

Cephas  in  the  Syriac  language  means  a  rock,  and  so  Peter  in 
that  version  is  everywhere  called  "Cephas;"  the  same  word  in 
the  Hebrew  means  a  rock 

(as  is  evident  in  'Jer.  iv.  29;  and  yob  xxx.  6,  where  "rocks"  are  men- 
tioned in  the  plural  number) ; 

but  Peter  is  not  called  a  rock  (petra)  in  the  Greek  and  Latin 
because  the  name  was  bestowed  upon  him  as  a  personal  name. 
[14.]  The  Lord  said  "Simon  son  of  Jonah,"  and  afterwards 
he  was  called  "a  rock,"  because  "Simon  son  of  Jonah"  signifies 
truth  from  good,  that  is,  faith  from  charity  ;  and  as  truth  from 
good  or  faith  from  charity  is  granted  only  to  those  who  are  in 
Divine  truth  from  the  Lord,  and  Peter  then  confessed  [the  Lord], 
so  he  is  called  "a  rock,"  not  himself  as  a  person,  but  that  Divine 
truth  which  was  from  the  Lord  with  him  in  his  confession.  That 
this  was  from  the  Lord  is  meant  by  the  Lord's  words,  "  flesh  and 
blood  hath  not  revealed  it  unto  thee,  but  My  Father  who  is  in 
the  heavens,"  "  Father  in  the  heavens  "  meaning  the  Divine  in  the 
Lord,  since  the  Father  was  in  Him  and  He  in  the  Father  and 
they  were  one  (  yoh7i  xiv.  7-1 1  ;  x.  30,  38).  That  "  Simon  "  signi- 
fies truth  in  the  will,  see  in  the  following  chapter  ;  and  that  "  dove," 
which  is  what  "Jonah  "  means,  signifies  .spiritual  good,  see  Arcana 
CaeJ^stia  (n.  870.  1826,  1827) ;  consequentlv  "Simon  son  of  Jonah" 
signifies  the  truth  of  good  or  truth  from  good.  Because  the  hells 
have  no  power  against  Divine  truth  going  forth  from  the  Lord, 
or  against  any  man  in  whom  there  is  Divine  truth  from  the  Lord, 
the  Lord  declares  that  "the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail  against 
it."  [15.]  The  Lord  further  said,"  I  will  give  unto  thee  the  keys  of 
the  kingdom  of  the  hea\ens  ;  and  whatsoever  thou  shalt  bind  on 
earth  shall  be  bound  in  the  heavens,  and  whatsoever  thou  shalt 


CHAP.   VI.,   VERSE    l6.— ^N.   4I  ![</].  971 

loose  on  earth  snail  be  loosed  in  the  heavens,"  which  signifies 
that  all  things  are  possible  fo  those  who  are  in  truths  from  good 
from  the  Lord,  in  full  agreement  with  these  words, 

'AH  things  whatsoever  that  ye  ask  for,  praying,  believe  that  ye  are  to 
receive,  then  shall  it  be  done  for  you  "  {Mark  xi.  24  ;  Matt.  vii.  8 ; 
Luke  xi.  9). 

How  these  words  must  be  understood  see  above  (n.  405[/]), 
namely,  that  to  ask  from  the  faith  of  charity  is  to  ask  not  from 
self  but  from  the  Lord,  for  whatever  any  one  asks  not  from  self 
but  from  the  Lord  he  receives.  That  such  is  the  signification 
of  these  words,  "whatsoever  thou  shalt  bind  on  earth  shall  be 
bound  in  the  heavens,  and  whatsoever  thou  shalt  loose  on  earth 
shall  be  loosed  in  the  heavens,"  is  clear  from  the  Lord's  words 
to  the  disciples  and  to  all  who  are  in  truths  from  good  from  the 
Lord,  in  Matthew: 

"Verily  I  say  unto  you.  What  things  soever  ye  shall  bind  on  earth  shall 
be  bound  in  heaven,  >uid  what  things  soever  ye  shall  loose  on 
earth  shall  be  loosed  in  the  heavens"  (xviii.  18). 

[16.]  These  words  were  spoken  not  to  Peter  only,  but  to  all,  as 
the  Lord  immediately  declares  in  this  chapter  in  these  words, 

"  I  say  unto  you,  That  if  two  of  you  shall  agree  on  earth  in  My  name 
respecfling  any  thing  that  they  shall  ask,  it  shall  be  done  for  them 
by  My  Father  who  is  in  the  heavens.  For  where  two  or  three  are 
gathered  in  My  name,  there  am  I  in  the  midst  of  them  "  ([xviii.]  19, 
20). 

"  The  Lord's  name"  means  everything  by  which  He  is  worshipped; 
and  as  He  is  worshipped  by  means  of  truth  from  good,  which 
is  from  Him,  so  this  is  meant  by  "  His  name."    (That  this  is  what  is 

meant  by  "the  Lord's  name,"  see  above,  n,  I02,  I35.)     So  "  every  thing  they 

shall  ask  on  earth  shall  be  done  for  them  in  the  heavens"  has 
the  same  signification  as  "whatsoever  ye  shall  bind  or  shall  loose 
on  earth  shall  be  bound  or  shall  be  loosed  in  the  heavens,"  for 
the  Lord  explains  the  former  words  by  the  latter.  One  who  is 
acquainted  with  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word  can  know  also 
why  it  is  said  "if  two  agree,"  and  afterwards  "where  there  are 
two  or  three,"  namely,  because  "  two"  is  predicated  of  good,  and 
"three  "  of  truth,  consequently  "two  and  three"  of  all  who  are 

in  truths  from  good.  (That  Divine  truth  from  the  Lord  has  all  power  in 
the  heavens  and  on  earth,  see  above,  n.  209,  333  ■  ^"^  Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  230, 
231,  539;  and  .4.C.,n.309i.  3563,  6344,  6423,  6948,  8200,  8304,  9643,  10019,  10182. 
"  Two  "  is  predicated  of  good  because  it  signifies  conjuntftion  by  love,  n.  1686,  5194, 
8423  ;  "  three"  is  predicated  of  truths  because  it  signifies  all  truths  in  the  complex, 
the  same  as  "  twelve,"  n.  577,  2089,  2129,  2130,  3272,  3858,  3913;  therefore  when 
'■  two  "  and  "  three"  are  mentioned  in  the  spiritual  world,  two  and  three  are  not 


972  APOCALYPSE    EXPI.AINKD. 

meant,  but  all  who  are  in  tiutlis  from  good.  That  "  Peter  si'^n.rifs  truth  from  got>« 
which  is  from  the  Lord,  see  Last  yiidfrnttnt.  n.  57.) 

[e.]  (17.]  Tlui>  tar  it  has  been  sliown  what  "rock  "  sio^nifies 
in  this  sense  ;  it  shall  now  he  shown  what  "rock"  signifies  in  the 
contrary  sense.  In  tiic  contrary  sense  "rock"  signifies  infernal 
falsity  that  is  trusted  in  ;  as  in  the  following  passages.     In  Isaiah: 

"  Hewing  out  thy  sepulchre  in  the  height,  graving  for  himself  a  habita- 
tion in  the  rock  "  (xxii.  16). 

This  chapter  treats  of  "  the  valley  of  vision,"  which  signifies  falsity 
of  docl;rine  confirmed  by  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word  ;  love 
of  falsity  is  signified  by  "sepulchre  in  the  height,"  and  belief  of 
falsity  by  "  habitation  in  the  rock  ;"  their  making  such  things  for 
themselves  is  signified  by  "hewing  out"  and  "graving  for  them- 
selves."    [18.]   In  the  same  : 

"  In  that  day  they  shall  cast  away  a  man  the  idols  of  his  silver  and  the 
idols  of  his  gold  which  your  hands  make  for  you. .  .  . ;  then  shall 
Asshur  fall  by  the  sword  not  of  a  man  {v?r),  and  the  sword  not  of 
a  man  {homo)  shall  devour  him .  .  .  . :  and  his  rock  shall  pass  away 
for  fear,  and  his  princes  shall  be  dismayed  at  the  ensign  "  (xxxi. 
7-9)- 

This  treats  of  judgment  upon  those  who  from  self- intelligence 
believe  themselves  to  be  wise  in  Divine  things.  Such  are  those 
who  are  in  the  love  of  self  and  the  world,  and  who  seek  after  a 
reputation  for  learning  for  the  sake  of  self;  these,  because  they 
are  unable  to  perceive  truths,  seize  on  falsities  and  proclaim  them 
as  truths.  The  falsities  that  favor  their  principles  and  their  loves 
are  signified  by  "  idols  of  silver  and  idols  of  gold  ;"  that  these 
are  from  self-intelligence  is  signified  by  "  which  your  hands  have 
made  for  you  ;"  that  they  will  perish  by  their  own  falsities  is  sig- 
nified by  "then  shall  Asshur  fall  l)v  the  sword  not  of  a  man  {vir)^ 
and  the  sword  not  of  a  man  {homiA  shall  devoiu-  him,"  "Asshur" 
meaning  the  rational  perverted,  and  thus  those  who  are  in  falsities 
from  self-intelligence,  "to  fall  and  to  be  devoured  by  the  sword" 
meaning  to  perish.  This  was  represented  also  by  the  king  of 
Assyria  who  was  slain  by  his  own  sons  (^Isaiah  xxxvii.  38),  "his 
sons"  there  signifying  his  own  falsities  by  which  he  perished, 
"  His  rock,"  which  shall  pass  away  for  fear,  signifies  all  falsity  in 
general,  in  which  such  have  trusted  ;  and  "  the  princes,"  who  shall 
be  dismayed  at  the  ensign,  signify  chief  falsities ;  it  is  said  "at 
the  ensign,"  because  such  falsities  are  dispersed  not  by  any  com- 
bat with  truths,  but  bv  a  mere  sign  of  combat,  which  an  ensign  is. 
I  have  seen  such  cast  down  from  the  rocks  upon  which  they  were 
by  the  waving  of  an  ensign.     [19.]   In  ycrcmiah  : 


(•'TAP.  VI.,  VERSE   l6.— N.  4ii[<fJ.  •973 

"The  whole  city  fleeth  before  the  voice  of  a  horseman  and  of  the  bow- 
men ;  they  entered  the  clouds  and  went  up  into  the  rocks  ;  the  whole 
city  is  deserted,  not  a  man  {vir)  dwelleth  therein  "  (iv.  29). 

This  describes  the  church  desolated  in  respe6l  to  truths.  All 
tnith  of  doflrine  desolated  by  false  reasonings  and  false  dodlrinals 
therefrom  is  signified  by  "the  whole  city  fleeth  before  the  voice 
of  a  horseman  and  of  the  bowmen,"  "voice  of  a  horseman"  sig- 
nifying false  reasonings,  and  "voice  of  the  bowmen"  false  doc- 
trinals,  "the  whole  city  fleeth"  signifies  all  the  truth  of  do6lrine 
desolated,  "city"  meaning  doctrine.  That  no  truth  is  acknow- 
ledged, but  falsity  alone,  is  signified  by  "they  entered  the  clouds 
and  went  up  into  the  rocks,"  "to  enter  tke  clouds"  signifying  to 
be  in  no  acknowledgment  of  truth,  and  "to  go  up  into  the  rocks" 
signifying  to  be  in  falsity  alone.  [20.]  I  have  also  seen  rocks 
that  consisted  of  stones  heaped  together, .  with  no  open  place 
where  verdure  grew  as  elsewhere  upon  rocks ;  upon  these  were 
spirits  who  while  they  lived  in  the  world  as  men  had  been  in 
faidi  separate  from  charity,  which  is  called  faith  alone,  and  had 
confirmed  themselves  therein  both  in  do(5l;rine  and  in  life.  This 
is  what  is  meant  by  "the  dryness  of  the  rock,"  in  Ezekiel: 

"  She  set  it  upon  the  dryness  of  the  rock ;  she  poured  it  not  upon  the 
ground  that  dust  might  cover  it "  (xxiv.  7). 

And  in  the  same, 

"  I  will  cause  many  nations  to  come  up  against  thee  ;.  . .  .and  they  shall 
overthrow  the  walls  of  Tyre  and  destroy  her  towers  ;  and  I  will 
purge  her  dust  from  her,  and  make  her  the  dryness  of  a  rock"  (xxvi. 

3.  4.  14)- 

^'Dust"  in  these  two  passages  means  the  soil,  which  signifies  the 
good  of  the  church.  When  there  is  no  soil  on  the  rocks  and  the 
rocks  are  dry,  that  is,  consist  of  mere  heaps  of  stones,  as  was  said 
above,  it  is  a  sign  that  there  is  no  good,  and  where  there  is  no 
good  there  is  mere  falsity  ;  so  this  is  what  is  signified  by  "the 
dryness  of  a  rock,"  and  "she  poured  it  not  upon  the  ground 
that  the  dust  might  cover  it,"  and  "  I  will  purge  her  dust  from 
her."  This  makes  evident  what  is  signified  by  the  Lord's  words 
in  the  Gospels  : 

"Other  seed  fell  upon  the  rocky  places,  where  they  had  not  much  soil; 
and  straightway  they  sprang  up  because  they  had  no  deepness  of 
soil ; .  . .  .and  they  withered  away  "  {Matth.  xiii.  5,  6  ;  Mark  iv.  5,  6  ; 
Luke  viii.  6). 

This  may  be  seen  explained  above  (n.  401  [^^]).  [21.]  Most  ol 
those  in  the  spiritual  world  who  have  their  light  from  the  moon 
there,  dwell  upon  rocky  places.     Those  who  are  spiritual-natural 


974  APOCALYPSE    KXFI.AINED. 

dwell  Lqjon  rocky  places  that  are  covered  with  a  thin  surface  of 
soil,  where  consequently  there  are  level  places,  verdure,  and 
shrubberies,  but  not  such  as  are  upon  the  mountains  and  hills 
where  those  dwell  who  receive  light  from  the  sun  of  heaven  ; 
while  those  who  are  not  spiritual-natural,  but  merely  natural,  are 
not  at  present  upon  the  rocky  places,  but  in  caverns  among  the 
rocks  there ;  and  those  who  are  in  falsities  from  evil,  dwell 
among  heaps  of  stones  there ;  all  these  things  are  correspond- 
ences.    [22.]    In  yeretkiah: 

"  Behold,  I  am  against  thee  O  mountain  ....  destroying  the  whole  earth  ; 
and  I  will  stretch  out  Mine  hand  against  thee  and  roll  thee  down 
from  the  rocks,  and  will  make  thee  a  mountain  of  burning"  (IL  25). 

This  is  said  of  Babylon,  whose  damnation  through  falsities  is  sig- 
nified by  "  I  will  roll  thee  down  from  the  rocks,"  and  whose  damn- 
ation through  evils  is  signified  by  "  I  will  make  thee  a  mountain 

of  burning"    (but  this  may  be  seen  more  fully  explained  above,  n.  A^O^{^^'\\. 

[23.]    In  the  same, 

"  O  ye  inhabitants  of  Moab,  leave  the  cities  and  dwell  in  the  rock,  and 
be  like  the  dove  that  maketh  her  nest  in  the  sides  of  the  mouth  of 
the  pit  "  (xlviii.  28). 

This  is  said  of  Moab,  which  signifies  the  adulteration  of  good  and 
truth,  and  thus  those  who  pervert  the  good  and  truth  of  the  Word. 
"  Leave  the  cities"  signifies  to  leave  truths  of  do6lrine  ;  "dwell  in 
the  rock"  signifies  in  falsities  and  the  do6lrine  of  falsities  ;  "be 
like  the  dove  that  maketh  her  nest  in  the  sides  of  the  mouth  of 
the  pit"  signifies  looking  at  truth  from  without  and  not  from  with- 
in, for  "a  pit"  signifies  the  Word  where  truths  are;  "to  make  a 
nest  in  the  sides  of  its  mouth"  means  outside  of  it  and  not  within, 
"  to  make  a  nest "  having  the  same  signification  as  to  dwell,  namely, 
to  live  a  life;  but  "to  build  a  nest"  is  predicated  of  a  bird,  and  "to 
dwell "  of  man.  What  it  is  to  regard  the  Word  from  without  and 
not  from  within  maybe  seen  in  the  Arcana  Caelestia  (n.  10549-10551), 
namely,  to  look  at  it  not  from  do<5trine  but  from  the  mere 
letter ;  and  in  consequence  of  this  men  wander  in  every  dire(5tion 
whither  the  disposition,  thought  and  afife(5lion  may  lead,  they  are 
sure  of  nothing,  and  this  is  the  source  of  those  perpetual  adulter- 
ations that  are  signified  by  "  Moab."  This  is  the  case  with  those 
who  study  the  Word  for  the  sake  of  glory  and  honor ;  because 
'such  regard  themselves  in  e^•er^•thing  when  studying  the  Word, 
they  remain  outside  of  the  Word  ;  while  those  who  love  truth  and 
good  from  the  Word  are  within  the  Word,  for  they  look  at  it  not 
from  self,  but  from  the  Lord.  This  makes  clear  what  is  signified 
by  "  O  ye  inhabitants  of  Moab,  leave  the  cities  and  dwell  in  the 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE   l6.— N'.  4ii[/].  975 

rock,  and  be  like  the  dove  that  maketh  her  nest  in  the  sides  of 
the  mouth  of  the  pit."     [24.]    In  the  .same, 

"Is  not  My  word  like  as  fire?.  ...and  like  a  hammer  that  scattereth 
the  rock?"  (xxiii.  29.) 

The  Word  is  said  to  be  "hke  a  fire  and  Hke  a  hammer"  because 
"fire"  signifies  good  of  love,  and  "hammer"  truth  of  faith,  for 
"hammer"  has  the  same  signification  as  "iron,"  and  "iron" 
signifies  truth  in  outmosts,  and  the  truth  of  faith.  Both  are 
mentioned,  namely,  "fire"  and  "hammer,"  and  accordingly  good 
and  truth,  becAUse  of  the  marriage  of  good  and  truth  in  every 
particular  of  the  Word.  "The  rock"  that  is  scattered  signifies 
falsity  in  the  whole  complex  and  do6lrine  of  falsity;  and  these  are 
scattered  or  destroyed  when  man,  in  whom  they  exist,  is  judged. 
[25.]  In  Nahum: 

"Who  shall  stand  up  before  His  indignation?  or  who  shall  stand  in  the 
wrath  of  His  anger?  His  wrath  is  poured  out  like  fire,  and  the 
rocks  shall  be  overturned  before  Him  "  (i.  6). 

That  the  "indignation,"  "wrath,"  and  "anger"  of  Jehovah  sig- 
nify the  last  judgment  and  the  state  of  danmation  of  those  who 
are  in  evils  and  in  falsities  therefrom,  will  be  seen  in  the  following 
articles.  The  damnation  of  evils  is  signified  by  "  His  wrath, 
which  is  poured  out  like  fire  ;"  and  the  damnation  of  falsities  from 
evils  by  "His  anger,"  and  "the  rocks  shall  be  overturned  before 
Him,"  "fire"  signifying  the  evils  of  the  loves  of  self  and  of  the 
world,  and  "rocks"  falsities  therefrom,  and  "to  be  oxertmned" 
signifies  to  perish.  Moreover,  the  rocks,  upon  which  are  those 
who  are  in  principles  of  falsity  and  thus  in  falsities  of  every  kind, 
are  visibly  overturned,  and  those  who  are  upon  them  are  thus  cast 
down  into  hell ;  but  this  occurs  in  the  spiritual  world,  where  all 
have  their  dwelling  places  in  agreement  with  the  quality  of  their 
interiors,  to  which  their  externals  correspond. 
[/•]    [26.]    In  Isaiah : 

"  Ye  that  have  inflamed  yourselves  with  gods  under  every  g^een  tree, 
that  slay  the  children  in  the  streams  under  the  shelves  of  the  rocks  " 
(Ivii.  5). 

What  is  meant  by  "  inflaming  oneself  with  gods  under  e\'ery  green 
tree,  and  slaying  the  children  in  the  streams  under  the  shelves  of 
the  rocks,"  no  one  can  know  except  from  the  internal  sense.  In 
that  sense  "to  inflame  oneself  with  gods  under  every  green  tree" 
signifies  to  worship  God  from  every  falsity  that  occurs,  "to  in- 
flame oneself  with  gods"  means  ardent  worship,  and  "every  green 
tree"  means  every  falsity  that  occurs,  for  "tree"  signifies  know- 


976  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

ledges  and  perceptions,  here  knovvledgt^s  and  perceptions  of  falb 
ity  ;  and  "to  s]a\-  the  chiUhen  in  the  streams  under  the  shelves 
of  the  rocks"  signifies  to  extinguish  truths  by  falsities  from  self- 
intelligence,  "children"  meaning  truths,  "streams"  self-intelli- 
gence, "shelves  of  the  rocks  "  falsities, "  under  the  shelves "  of  these 
signifies  from  what  {)ertains  to  the  senses,  in  which  there  is  the 
lowest  natural  light,  for  those  who  are  in  that  light  only  stand 
under  broken  rocks  and  do  not  see  any  truth,  and  if  it  is  told  them 
they  do  not  perceive  it.  In  such  a  position  I  have  seen  them  in 
the  spiritual  world.  This  makes  evident  that  "to  slay  the  child- 
ren" means  not  to  slay  children,  but  to  extinguish  truths.  [27.]  So 
in  David  : 

"  Happy  is  he  who  shall  seize  and  dash  thy  little  ones  against  the  rock  " 
{Psalm  cxxxvii.  9). 

"  Lif^le  ones  "  mean  here  not  infants  but  falsities  springing  up  ; 
for  Babylon  is  here  treated  of,  which  signifies  falsities  of  evil  de- 
stroying truths  of  good  of  the  church  ;  the  destru6lion  of  these  is 
signified  by  "dashing  them  against  the  rock,"  "rock"  meaning 
the  ruling  falsity  of  evil,  and  "to  dash"  meaning  to  destroy. 
He  who  abides  in  the  mere  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word  and 
does  not  think  beyond  it,  can  easily  be  led  to  believe  that  he  is 
called  "happy"  who  does  this  with  the  little  ones  of  his  enemies, 
when  yet  that  would  be  an  enormous  crime  ;  he  is  called  "  happy  " 
who  disperses  the  falsities  of  evil  springing  up  in  the  church,  which 
are  here  signified  by  "the  little  ones"  of  Babylon.  [28.]  In  yer- 
emiah :  \ 

"Who  hath  heard  such  a  thing  as  this?  the  virgin  of  Israel  hath  done 
an  abominable  thing.  Shall  the  snow  of  Lebanon  from  the  rock 
leave  My  fields?  shall  the  strange  cold  waters  flowing  down  be 
snatched  away?  My  people  have  forgotten  Me,  they  have  burnt 
incense  to  vanity"  (xviii.  13-15). 

"  The  virgin  of  Israel "  means  here  and  elsewhere  a  spiritual  church, 
for  this  the  Israelites  represented  ;  the  "abominable  thing"  that 
they  did  means  that  they  changed  the  goods  of  the  church  into 
evils,  and  the  truths  of  the  church  into  falsities,  and  from  these 
evils  and  falsities  worshipped  Jehovah.  The  evils  which  are  the 
source  of  such  worship  are  signified  by  "  My  people  have  forgot- 
ten Me,"  for  he  who  forgets  God  is  in  evils  ;  and  the  falsities  which 
are  the  source  of  such  worship  are  signified  by  "they  have  burned 
incense  to  vanity,"  "vanity  "  meaning  falsity,  and  "  to  burn  incense  " 
worship.  "Shall  the  snow  of  Lebanon  from  the  rock  leave  My 
fields?"  signifies,  Have  they  any  truths  of  the  church  from  the 
Word?  "rock  "here  signifies  the  Word,  because  it  signifies  Divine 
trudi  (as  above) ;  " snow  of  Lebanon"  signifies  the  truths  of  the 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE   i6. — N.  4ii[/].  977 

church  therefrom.  Here  "snow"  has  the  same  signitication  as 
water,  namely,  truths,  but  "snow"  signifies  cold  truths,  because  a 
cold  churcli  is  here  treated  oi.  "  Lebanon  "  means  the  church 
from  which  these  are.  and  "fields"  mean  all  goods  and  truths  of 
the  church.  "  The  strange  cold  waters  flowing  down  "  signify  fals- 
ities in  which  there  is  no  good,  "  strange  waters  "  meaning  falsities, 
and  "cold"  meaning  in  which  there  is  no  good,  for  truths  have 
all  their  heat  from  good  of  love.     [29.1    In  the  same, 

"  Behold,  I  am  against  thee,  thou  inhabitant  of  the  valley,  thou  rock  of 
the  plain .  .  .  .  ;  that  say,  Who  shall  come  down  against  us,  and  who 
shall  enter  into  our  habitations?"  (xxi,  13). 

"  Inhabitant  of  the  valley  "  and  "  rock  of  the  plain  "  signify  those 
who  are  in  the  outmosts  of  the  Word,  and  do  not  permit  them- 
selves to  be  enlightened  from  the  interior ;  and  such  do  not  see 
truths,  but  falsities  instead  ;  for  all  light  of  truth,  because  it  is  out 
of  heaven  from  the  Lord,  comes  from  the  interior  and  descends. 
Such  are  meant  by  "inhabitant  of  the  valley"  and  "rock  of  the 
plain,"  "vailey"and"  plain"  meaning  the  outmosts  of  the  Word  in 
which  they  are  ;  and  "  inhabitant "  and  "  rock  "  signifying  falsities, 
"inhabitant"  falsity  of  life,  and  "rock"  falsity  of  do6lrine.  The 
belief  in  falsity  and  evil  in  which  such  are  firmly  fixed,  accepting 
falsity  and  evil  as  truths  and  goods,  is  signified  by  their  saying, 
"  Who  shall  come  down  against  us,  and  who  shall  enter  into  our 
habitations?"     [30.]    In  Isaiah: 

"  Enter  into  the  rock,  and  hide  thee  in  the  dust,  for  fear  of  Jehovah  "  (ii.  10). 

"To  enter  into  the  rock"  means  into  falsity,  and  "to  hide  them- 
selves in  the  dust"  means  in  evil.  This  treats  of  the  last  judg- 
ment, when  those  who  are  in  falsities  of  evil  and  in  evils  of  falsity 
cast  themselves  into  the  hells  which  are  in  rocks  and  under  the 

lands  in  the  spiritual  world.  (Rvu  these  things  may  be  seen  more  fully 
brought  out  and  explained  in  the  preceding  article. )       In    Job  : 

"The  mountain  fallmg  melteth  away,  and  the  rock  is  removed  out  of 
its  place"  (xiv.  18). 

"  Mountain  "  signifies  the  love  of  evil ;  and  "  rock  "  belief  of  falsity; 
and  "  to  melt  away  "  and  "be  removed  out  of  its  place"  signifies 
to  perish.     [31.]   In  David  : 

''  Let  their  judges  be  cast  down  by  the  sides  of  the  roc^" (Psalm  cxli.  6). 

"Judges"  signify  those  who  are  in  falsities,  and  in  an  abstrad 
sense,  falsities  of  thought  and  dodrine.  "Judges  "  in  the  Word 
have  the  same  signification  as  "judgments,"  and  "judgments" 
signify  the  truths  from  which  judgments  are  formed  and  in  the 
contrary  sense  falsities.     Because  those  who  are  in  falsities  dwell 


97^  APOCALYPSK    EXPLAINED. 

ill  the  spiritual  world  in  rocks  it  is  said,  "let  them  be  cast  down 
by  the  sides  of  the  rock,"  which  signifies  that  they  must  be  let  into 
their  falsities  and  dwell  in  hells  corresponding  to  their  falsities. 
In  Job: 

"To  dwell  in  the  cleft  of  the  valleys,  in  holes  of  the  earth,  and  in  the 
rocks  "  (xxx.  6). 

This  treats  ot  those  who  are  in  the  hells,  because  they  are  in  evils 
and  in  falsities  therefiom  ;  the  hells  of  those  who  are  in  evils  in  re- 
sped  to  life  are  under  valleys  and  in  caves  there ;  and  the  hells 
of  those  who  are  in  falsities  from  evils  are  in  rocks.  This  makes 
clear  what  is  signified  by  "  dwelling  in  the  cleft  of  the  valleys,  in 

holes  of  the  earth,  and  in  rocks."  (But  respecting  the  caverns  and  caves 
in  which  those  dwell  who  are  in  tiie  hells,  and  the  clefts  and  holes  by  which  these  are 
entered,  see  the  article  just  precednig,  n.  4IO[r7].)     L32.1    These  things  have 

been  said  to  make  known  that  "  rock"  in  the  contrary  sense  sig- 
nifies falsity  in  general  ;  and  this  signification  of  "rock"  is  from 
correspondence,  as  can  be  seen  Irom  the  appearances  and  phenom- 
ena in  the  spiritual  world,  where  all  dwell  according  to  the  corre- 
spondences of  the  interiors  of  their  mind  and  life.  Consequently 
those  who  are  in  wisdom  and  intelligence,  because  they  are  in  love 
to  the  Lord  and  in  charity  towards  the  neighbor,  and  thus  in  a 
spiritual  affection  for  truth,  dwell  upon  mountains  and  hills  of  earth, 
where  there  are  paradises,  gardens,  rose-beds,  and  lawns ;  but 
those  who  are  in  a  belief  in  the  do6lrinals  of  their  church  and  in 
some  degree  of  charity,  dwell  upon  rocks  where  there  are  level 
places  upon  which  are  some  gro\-es  and  some  trees  and  gra.'-sy 
places ;  while  those  who  have  been  in  faith  alone,  as  it  is  called, 
in  respedl  to  dodrine  and  life,  and  thus  in  falsities  of  faith  and  evils 
</f  lite,  dwell  within  the  rocks,  in  caverns  and  chambers  there. 
[33.]  This  signification  of  "  rock "  is  from  the  correspondence 
spoken  of.  But  there  is  a  signification  of  "rock  "  from  its  hard- 
ness, as  in  the  following  passages.      In  yeremiah  : 

"They  have  made  their  faces  harder  than  a  rock"  (v.  3). 

In  hzekici : 

"  As  an  adamant  harder  than  rock  have  I  made  thy  forehead  :  fear  not" 
(iii.  9)- 

In  Job: 

"  They  shall  be  graven  with  an  iron  pen  and  with  lead  in  the  rock  for- 
ever "  (xix.  24). 

In  Isaiah: 

"  The  hoofs  of  the  horses  are  accounted  as  rock  "  (v.  28). 

H  \rdness  is  expressed  by  "  rock  "  from  the  correspondence  of  rock 


CHAP.   VI.,  VERSE    l6. — N.  4I2[<?].  979 

with  truth  from  good,  for  truth  from  good  has  all  power,  as  has 
beeu  said  above  ;  but  when  truth  a6ls  against  falsity  from  evil,  good 
is  blunted,  and  truth  then  remaining  a(^ts  with  hardness,  according 
to  the  above  words  in  Ezekiel,  "As  an  adamant  harder  than  rock 
have  I  made  thy  forehead."  Truth  without  good  is  also  hard,  but 
is  easily  broken.  But  what  has  been  here  set  forth  respecting 
rocks  will  be  more  fully  elucidated  by  what  will  be  said  hereafter 
respe(5ling  the  signification  of  stones. 

4ia[#»].  "And  hide  us  from  the  face  of  Him  that  sitteth  on 
the  throne,  and  from  the  anger  of  the  Lamb,"  .signifies  lest  they 
should  suffer  direful  things  from  the  influx  of  Divine  good 
united  to  the  Divine  truth  goiyig  forth  from  the  Lord. — This  is 
evident  from  the  signification  of  "  hide  us,"  when  it  is  said  by 
those  in  whom  the  goods  and  truths  of  the  church  are  destroyed 
by  evils  of  life  and  falsities  therefrom,  as  meaning  lest  they  should 
suffer  direful  things  (of  which  presently) ;  also  from  the  signification  of 
"from  the  face  of  Him  that  sitteth  on  the  throne,"  as  meaning 
the  Lord  in  respe6l  to  Divine  good  in  heaven.  That  "face," 
in  reference  to  the  Lord,  means  the  Divine  love,  from  which  is 
Divine  good  in  heaven,  will  be  evident  from  the  passages  in  the 
Word  that  will  be  cited  presently  ;  and  that  "  He  that  sitteth  on 
the  throne  "  means  the  Lord  in  respe6l  to  Divine  good  in  heaven 
may  be  seen  above  (n.  297, 343).  Also  from  the  signification  of"  the 
anger  of  the  Lamb,"  as  meaning  the  casting  into  hell  by  the  influx 
of  Divine  truth  going  forth  from  the  Lord.  That  "the  anger  of 
Jehovah  "  or  of  the  Lord  signifies  this,  can  be  .seen  from  passages 
in  the  Word  to  be  cited  in  the  following  article.  Moreover,  it 
may  be  seen  above  (n.  297,  343)  that  the  Lord  alone  is  meant  by 
"  Him  that  sitteth  on  the  throne,"  and  by  "the  Lamb  ;"  the  Lord 
in  respe6t  to  Divine  good  by  "  Him  that  sitteth  on  the  throne," 
and  the  Lord  in  respeCl  to  Divine  truth  hv  "the  Lamb."  The 
expression  "anger  of  the  Lamb"  does  not  mean  that  the  Lord 
(who  is  meant  by  "  Him  that  sitteth  on  the  throne"  and  by  "the 
Lamb")  is  angry,  for  He  is  Divine  good  itself,  and  that  cannot 
be  angry,  for  anger  has  nothing  to  do  with  good  itself;  but  it  is 
so  expres.sed  in  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word,  for  reasons  ex- 
plained elsewhere  ;  it  will  be  enough  to  show  here  that  "the  face" 
of  Jehoxah,  or  of  the  Lord,  signifies  Divine  love,  and  thus  Divine 
good  in  heaven  and  in  the  church  :  and  in  the  contrary  sense 
"to  set  His  face  against  anyone,"  and  "to  hide  or  conceal  His 
face,"  has  the  same  meaning  as  "wrath"  and  "anger;"  also  that 
"  the  face,"  in  reference  to  man,  means  in  both  senses  the  interiors 


980  APOCALYPSE   EXPLAINED. 

tliat  belong  to  his  mind  and  affection.  [2.]  Tliat  "  tlie  face,"  in 
reference  to  Jehovah  or  the  Lord,  signifies  the  Divine  love  and 
Divine  good  therefrom  is  evident  from  the  following  passages.  In 
David  :' 

"  Make  Thy  faces  to  shine  upon  Thy  servant ;  save  mc  because  of  Thy 
loving  kindness  "  (xxxi.  16). 

"To  make  faces  to  shine"  signifies  to  enlighten  in  Divine  truth 
from  Divine  love ;  this  is  signified  by  "  making  faces  to  shine." 
because  Divine  truth,  which  goes  forth  from  the  Lord  as  a  sun  in 
the  angelic  heaven,  gives  all  the  light  there,  and  also  enlightens 
the  minds  of  angels  and  fills  them  with  wisdom  ;  consequent!}'  the 
Lord's  face,  in  a  proper  sense,  is  the  sun  of  the  angelic  heaven  ; 
for  the  Lord  appears  to  angels  of  the  interior  heavens  as  a  sun, 
and  this  from  His  Divine  love,  for  love  in  the  heavens  when  pre- 
sented before  the  eyes  appears  as  fire,  but  the  Divine  love  as  a 
sun.  F'rom  that  sun  both  heat  and  light  go  forth,  the  heat  is 
Divine  good,  and  the  light  is  Divine  truth.  From  this  it  can  be 
seen  that  "  Make  Thy  faces  to  shine  upon  Thy  servant"  signifies 
to  enlighten  with  Divine  truth  from  Divine  good  ;  therefore  it  is 
added,  "save  me  because  of  Thy  loving  kindness  ;"  loving  kind- 
ness is  of  Divine  good.  (But  of  the  sun  ill  the  angelic  heaven,  and  the  heat 
and  light  from  it,  see  Heaven  and  Hell ;  of  The  Sun  there,  n.  116-125  ;  and  of  The 
Heat  and  Light  from  it,  n.  126-140.)       [3.]     In   the  same, 

"Many  say,  Who  will  show  us  good  ?    Jehovah,  lift  up  the  light  of  Thy 
faces  upon  us"  {Psalm  iv.  6). 

In  the  same, 

"  They  shall  walk,  O  Jehovah,  in  the  light  of  Thy  faces  "  {Psalm  Ixxxix. 
15). 

In  the  same, 

"  Turn  us  back,  O  God,  and  cause  Thy  faces  to  shine,  that  we  may  be 
saved  "  {Psalm  Ixxx.  3,  7,  19). 

And  in  the  same, 

"  God  be  merciful  unto  us  and  bless  us,  and  cause  His  faces  to  shine 
upon  us"  {Psalm  Ixvii.  i). 

"The  light  of  the  faces  "  of  Jehoxah  or  of  the  Lord  means  Divine 
truth  from  Divine  love  (as  above),  and  intelligence  and  wisdom 
therefrom,  for  both  angels  and  men  have  all  their  intelligence  and 
wisdom  from  Divine  truth,  or  the  Divine  light  in  the  heavens, 
therefore  "make  Thy  faces  to  shine  upon  us,"  "  lift  up  the  light  of 
Thy  faces  upon  us,"  and  "cause  Thy  faces  to  shine,"  in  the  above 
passages  signify  to  enlighten  in  Divine  t:i!th.  :>.nd  to  bestow  intel- 


CHAP.   VI.,  VERSE    l6. — N.  4I2[^].  981 

ligence  and  wisdom.  [4.]  The  same  is  signified  in  the  blessing  of 
the  sons  of  Israel   in  Moses  : 

"  Jehovah  bless  thee  and  keep  thee  :  Jehovah  make  His  faces  to  shine 
upon  thee  and  be  gracious  unto  thee  ;  Jehovah  lift  up  His  faces 
upon  thee  and  give  thee  peace  "  {.Vum.  vi.  24-26). 

"To  make  faces  tosliine  and  to  be  j^racious"  signifies  to  enlighten 
in  Divine  truth,  and  to  bestow  intelligence  and  wisdom  :  and  "to 
lift  up  faces  and  give  peace"  signifies  to  fill  with  Divine  good  and 
to  bestow  love.  Both  are  necessary  to  make  man  wise,  for  every- 
one that  is  in  the  spiritual  world  is  enlightened  by  the  light 
that  is  from  the  Lord  as  a  sun,  and  yet  those  only  become 
intelligent  and  wise  who  are  at  the  same  time  in  lo\e,  because 
the  good  that  is  of  love  is  what  receives  truth  ;  such  are  conjoined 
because  they  agree,  and  love  one  another.  Only  such,  therefore, 
as  have  love  see  the  sun  in  heaven,  the  i"est  see  merely  the  light. 
"  To  be  gracious,"  which  is  said  in  conne6fion  with  making  faces 
to  shine,  is  predicated  of  truth  in  the  Word  ;  and  "peace,"  which 
is  said  in  conne6lion  with  lifting  up  the  faces,  is  predicated  of 
good. 

[ft.]  [5.]   Since  the  Lord's  Divine  love  is  seen  as  a  sun  in 
heaven,  from  which  is  the  light  there,  so 

When  the  Lord  vi^as  transfigured  before  Peter,  James,  and  John,  "  His 
face  did  shine  as  the  sun,  and  His  garments  became.... as  the 
light  "  {MaU.  xvii.  2). 

Also  when  He  was  seen  by  John, 

"  His  face  did  shine  as  the  sun  in  his  power  "  {Apoc.  i.  16). 

"The  garments  which  became  as  the  light"  signify  Divine  truth, 
for  "garments"  in  .the  Word  signify  truth,  and  this  because  all 
angels  are  clothed  by  the  Lord  according  to  their  reception  of 
Divine  truth  ;  and  their  garments  are  fi-om  the  light  of  heaven, 
and  are  shining  and  brilliant  therefrom,  and  the  light  of  heaven,^ 
as  was  said,  is  Divine  truth.  This  makes  clear  why  the  Lord's 
garments  when  He  was  transfigured  "became  as  the  light."     (But 

on  these  things  more  may  be  seen  in  Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  177-182;   also  above,  n. 

64.  195,  271.  395.)     [6.]    In  Matthew : 

Jesus  said  of  the  child  whom  He  had  placed  in  the  midst  of  His  disciples, 
"  See  that  ye  despise  not  one  of  these  little  ones  ;  I  say  unto  you, 
that  their  angels  in  the  heavens  do  always  behold  the  face  of  My 
Father  who  is  in  the  heavens  "  (xviii.  10). 

It  is  said  "their  angels  behold,"  because  with  every  man  there  are 


982  APOCALYPSIi    EXPLAINED. 

.spirits  and  angels,  and  the  spirits  and  angels  are  such  as  the  man 
is.  With  infant  children  there  are  angels  from  the  inmost  heaven  ; 
these  see  the  Lord  as  a  sun,  for  they  are  in  love  to  Him  and  in 
innocence  ;  this  is  meant  in  the  nearest  sense  by  "their angels  Ix- 
hold  the  face  of  My  Father,"  "face  of  the  Father"  meaning  tht 
Divine  love  which  was  in  the  Lord,  consequently  the  essential 
Divine  which  is  Jehovah  ;  for  the  Father  was  in  Him,  and  He  in 
the  Father,  and  they  were  one,  as  He  Himself  teaches.  But  these 
same  words  in  the  purely  spiritual  sense  signify  that  the  Lord  in 
respedt  to  His  Divine  good  is  in  the  good  of  innocence,  for  this 
is  signified  by  "infant  child"  in  the  spiritual  .sense,  and  "face  of 
the  Father"  signifies  the  Lord's  Divine  good.  Of  "servants  of 
the  Lord,"  by  whom  are  meant  those  who  are  in  Divine  truths 
because  they  are  in  the  good  of  love  and  charity,  the  same  is  said 
in  the  Apocalypse  : 

"  The  throne  of  God  and  of  the  Lamb  shall  be  in  "  the  New  Jerusalem  ; 
"  and  His  servants  shall  do  Him  service ;  and  they  shall  behold  His 
face  "  (xxii.  3,  4). 

But  on  this  see  the  explanation  in  the  following  chapters.  [7.]  In 
Isaiah  : 

"In  all  their  straitness  the  straitness  was  His,  and  the  angel  of  His  faces 
delivered  them  ;  because  of  His  love  and  His  pity  He  redeemed 
them  ;  and  He  took  them,  and  carried  them  all  the  days  of  eter- 
nity "  (Ixiii.  g). 

This  treats  of  the  Lord,  who  is  called  "the  angel  of  the  faces"  of 
Jehovah  from  Divine  truth  which  is  from  His  Di\ine  love ;  for 
"angel "  in  the  Word  signifies  Divine  truth,  this  is  why  angels  are 
called  "gods"  (see  above,  n.  130,  200.  302) ;  and  "the  faces  of  Jeho- 
vah" mean  the  Divine  love  which  is  in  the  Lord,  therefore  it  is 
added,  "because  of  His  love  and  His  pity  He  redeemed  them  ; 
and  He  took  them  and  carried  them  all  the  days  of  eternity  :"  all 
this  is  of  the  Divine  love.  The  Lord  in  respe6l  to  His  Human 
'  was  Divine  truth,  and  from  this  He  combatted  with  the  hells,  and 
by  it  subjugated  them  ;  for  this  reason  He  is  called  "an  angel," 
that  is,  in  respedt  to  His  Divine  Human.  This  chapter  evidently 
treats  of  the  Lord,  and  of  His  combats  with  the  hells  and  subju- 
gation of  them.     [8.]    In  David  : 

"Thou  hidest  them  in  the  hiding  place  of  Thy  faces  from  the  pride  of 
man  ;    Thou  concealest  them  in  Thy  pavilion  from  the  strife  of 
\  tongues  "  {Psalm  xxxi.  20) 


CHAP.   VI..   VERSE    l6.       N.   4I2[(J.  983 

"  To  hide  them  in  the  hiding  place  of  Thy  faces  "  means  in  the 
Divine  good  that  does  not  appear  before  others  ;  and  "to  conceal 
in  Thy  paviUon  "  means  in  the  Divine  truth  ;  "the  pride  of  man" 
and  "the  strife  of  tongues"  mean  evils  of  falsity  and  falsities  of 
evil ;  for  pride  is  predicated  of  evils  because  it  is  ot  sell-love,  and 
"man"  signifies  truth  and  talsity  ;  "strife  of  tongues"  means  the 

falsitV  of  evil.  (What  the  evil  of  falsity  and  the  falsity  of  evil  are,  see  Do£lrine 
of  the  New  Jerusalem,  n.  21.)       [9.]     In  the  Same, 

"  Thou  hast  set  our  iniquities  before  Thee,  our  secret  in  the  light  of  Thy 
faces  "  {Psalm  xc.  8). 

"The  light  of  Thy  faces"  means  the  light  of  heaven  from  the 
Lord  as  the  sun  there.  Because  this  light  is  Divine  truth  itself, 
from  which  is  all  intelligence  and  all  wisdom,  whatever  comes  into 
this  light  has  its  quality  exhibited  as  in  clear  day  ;  for  this  reason 
when  the  evil  come  into  this  light  they  appear  just  as  they  are, 
deformed  and  monstrous  according  to  the  evils  concealed  in  them. 
This  makes  clear  what  is  meant  by  "Thou  hast  set  our  iniquities 
before  Thee,  and  our  secret  in  the  light  of  Thy  faces."  [10.]  In 
yeremiah : 

"  Proclaim  these  words  towards  the  north,  and  say,  Return,  thou  back- 
sliding Israel ;....!  will  not  cause  My  faces  to  fall  upon  you,  for 
I  am  merciful  "  (iii.  12). 

Here,  too,  "My  faces"  signify  the  Divine  love,  and  every  good 
that  is  of  love  ;  and  "not  causing  the  faces  to  fall  "  signifies  not  to 
let  it  be  lowered  or  cease,  for  when  the  countenance  lalls  the  at- 
tention is  withdrawn,  which  makes  clear  what  is  signified  by  "  I 
will  not  cause  My  faces  to  fall  upon  you,"  so  it  is  added,  "for  I 
am  merciful,"  mercy  being  the  Divine  love  towards  the  miserable. 
"  Proclaim  towards  the  north  "  signifies  towards  those  who  are  in 
falsities  and  in  evils  therefrom  ;  so  it  is  added,  "  Return,  thou 
backsliding  Israel."  "The  north"  signifies  such,  because  those 
who  are  in  falsities  and  in  evils  therefrom  dwell  in  the  northern 

quarter    in    the   spiritual    world.       (Of  falsities  and  evils  therefrom,  see  ?><? 

Dodrhie  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  n.  ■2\.'\  The  bread  upon  the  table  in 
the  tabernacle  was  called  "the  bread  of  faces,"  and  the  table  itselt 
"  the  table  of  faces  "  {Exod.  xxv.  30:  Num.  iv.  7),  because  "  bread  " 
there,  the  same  as  "faces  of  Jehovah,"  signified  the  Divine  good 

of  the  Divine  love  (see  Dodnne  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  n.  212,  213,  218). 

[r.]  [II.]  Because  "  the  faces  of  Jehovah,"  or  of  the  Lord, 
signify  the  Divine  good  united  to  Divine  truth  going  out  and  forth 
from  His  Divine  love,  "the  faces  of  Jehovah  "  signify  also  the  in- 


9S4  APOCAI,YPSK    F.XPLAINED. 

teriois  of  the  church,  of  the  Woiil,  and  of  worship,  for  Divine 
good  is  in  the  interiors  of  these ;  the  exteriors  of  the  church,  of 
the  Word,  and  of  worship  are  only  efTe<5ts  and  works  therefrom. 
The  interiors  of  the  church,  of  the  Word,  and  of  worship  are  sig- 
nified by  "beholding,"  "seeking,"  and  "  entnaiing  the  faces  of 
Jehovah."     In  Isaiah: 

"  What  is  the  multitude  of  your  sacrifices  unto  Me  ?  . . . .  when  ye  shall 
come  to  behold  the  faces"  of  Jehovah  (i.  11,  12). 

In  Zechariah  : 

"The  inhabitants  of  one  city  shall  goto  another,  saying,  In  going  let  us 
go  to  entreat  the  faces  of  Jehovah,  and  to  seek  Jehovah  of  hosts  ; 
....thus  many  peoples  and  populous  nations  shall  come  to  seek 
Jehovah  of  hosts  in  Jerusalem,  and  to  entreat  the  faces  of  Jeho- 
vah "  (viii.  21,  22). 

In  David : 

"  My  heart  said  unto  thee,  Seek  my  faces  ;  Thy  faces,  O  Jehovah,  I  do 
seek  "  {Psalm  xxvii.  8). 

In  the  same, 

"  We  will  make  a  joyful  noise  unto  the  rock  of  our  salvation  ;  we  will 
come  before  His  faces  with  confession  "  {Psalm  xcv.  i,  2). 

In  Malachi: 

"  Entreat  the  faces  of  God  that  He  may  be  gracious  unto  us"  (i.  9). 

In  David  : 

"  My  soul  thirsteth  for  God,  for  the  living  God  ;  when  shall  I  come  to 
appear  before  the  faces  of  God  ?  . . . .  Wait  thou  for  God,  for  I 
shall  yet  confess  to  Him  ;  His  faces  are  salvations"  (xlii.  2,  5). 

In  these  passages,  "faces  of  Jehovah,"  "of  God,"  or  "of  the 
Lord,"  mean  the  interiors  of  the  church,  of  the  Word,  and  of  wor- 
ship, because  Divine  good  and  Divine  truth,  thus  the  Lord  Him- 
self, are  in  these  interiors,  and  from  them  in  externals  ;  but  are  not 
in  externals,  namely,  of  the  church,  of  the  Word,  and  of  worship 
apart  from  these.  [12.]  As  it  was  the  duty  of  all  who  went  up  to 
Jerusalem  to  the  feast  to  carry  with  them  such  things  as  pertained 
to  worship,  and  all  worship  is  from  the  interiors  which  are  of  the 
heart  and  faith,  and  these  interiors  are  signified  by  the  gifts  of- 
fered to  the  Lord,  so  it  was  commanded  that  every  one  should 
offer  some  gift,  which  is  meant  by 

"They  shall  not  see  My  faces  empty"  {Exod.  xxiii.  15). 

The  interiors  of  the  church,  of  the  Word,  and  of  worship,  are 
signified  by  these  words  also  in  Moses : 


CHAP.  VI.,   VERSE    l6.— N.   4I2[fl'].  985 

Jehovah  spake  unto  Moses,  "  My  faces  shall  go  until  I  shall  give  thee 
rest."  Then  Moses  said,  "  If  Thy  faces  go  not  make  us  not  go  up 
hence  "  {Exod.  xxxiii.  14,  15). 

This  was  said  to  Moses,  because  with  that  natiijn  tlie  Word  was 
to  be  written,  and  in  the  historical  parts  of  the  Word  that  na- 
tion was  to  be  treated  of,  for  in  that  nation  a  church  was  to  be 
instituted  which  would  be  a  representative  church  consisting  of 
external  things  that  corresponded  to  things  internal ;  on  this  ac- 
count it  was  said,  "  My  faces  shall  go."  (Respeaingtliis  see  further  in 
A.C.,  n.  10567,  10568,  where  it  is  exphiined.)  [13.]  But  becaUse  that  na- 
tion was  only  in  the  externals  of  the  Word,  of  the  church,  and  of 
worship,  and  not  at  all  in  the  internals,  it  was  not  granted  to 
Moses  to  see  the  Lord's  face,  but  only  His  back,  according  to 
these  words  in  Moses  : 

Moses  said,  "  I  pray  Thee  show  me  Thy  giory  ;  to  whom  He  said,  I  will 
make  all  My  goodness  to  pass  before  thee,  and  I  will  proclaim  the 
name  of  Jehovah  before  thee  ;...  .thou  canst  not  see  My  faces, 

for  man  shall  not  see  Me  and  live I  will  put  thee  in  a  hole 

of  the  rock,  and  will  cover  thee  with  My  hand  until  I  shall  have 
passed  by  ;  and  when  I  shall  take  away  My  hand  thou  shalt  see 
My  hmder  parts,  but  My  faces  shall  not  be  seen  "  {Exod.  xxxiii. 
18-23). 

Here  Moses  represented  that  nation,  what  it  was  in  respect  to  mi- 
derstanding  of  the  Word,  and  thus  in  respe6l  to  the  church  and 
worship,  namely,  that  it  was  in  externals  only  without  internals. 
These  externals  were  represented  and  signified  by  "the  hinder 
parts"  of  Jehovah  which  were  seen  by  Moses,  and  the  internals 
by  the  front  parts  and  "the  face."  That  the  internals  that  are  in 
the  externals  of  the  Word,  of  the  church,  and  of  worship,  were 
not  seen  and  could  not  be  seen  by  that  nation,  was  represented  and 
signified  by  Moses  being  placed  in  the  hole  of  a  rock,  and  being 
covered  with  the  hand  of  Jehovah  while  He  passed  by.    (But  thisiias 

been  more  fully  explained  in  A.C.,  n.  10573-10584.) 

[/f.J  [14.]  Furthermore,  since  "the  faces  of  Jehovah"  or  the 
Lord  mean  the  internals  of  the  Word,  of  the  church,  and  of  wor- 
ship, they  mean  in  a  special  sense  externals  in  which  are  internals  ; 
since  internals  make  themselves  to  be  seen  in  externals,  as  the  in- 
ternals of  man  do  in  his  face  and  features.  But  the  Jewish  nation 
was  such  that  it  saw  externals  only,  and  internals  not  at  all ;  and 
to  see  externals  and  not  at  the  same  time  internals,  or  externals 
without  internals,  is  like  seeing  the  image  of  a  man  that  is  without 
life ;  but  to  see  externals  and  at  the  same  time  internals,  or  ex- 
ternals from  internals,  is  like  seeing  a  living  man  ;  this  therefore 
is,  in  the  proper  sense,  "to  see  the  face  of  Jehovah,"  or  "to  en- 


986  APOCALYi'SL    EXI'I.AINEU. 

treat  His  faces,"  in  the  passages  cited  above.  [15.]  Since  the 
internals  of  the  Woixl,  of  the  church,  and  of  \vor>hi|j,  appear  in 
the  externals,  or  j^resent  themselws  to  Ije  seen  in  externals,  com- 
paratively as  the  internals  of  man  do  in  the  face,  it  is  evident  what 
is  signified  in  the  internal  sense  by  "seeing  Jehovah  "  or  the  Lord 
"face  to  face,"  in  the  following  passages.     In  Moses  : 

"  I  have  seen  God  face  to  face,  and  yet  my  soul  is  preserved  "  (Gen. 
xxxii.  30). 

Jacob  said  this  after  he  had  wrestled  with  God,  u  ho  appeared  to 
him  as  an  angel.     In  the  Book  of  yudges  : 

"Gideon  said,. .  .  .1  have  seen  the  angel  of  Jehovah  face  to  face.  And 
Jehovah  said  unto  him,  Peace  be  unto  thee  ;  fear  not,  thou  shalt 
not  die  "  (vi.  22,  23). 

So,  too.  with  Manoah  and  his  wife  {Judges  xiii.  21-23). 

And  respecting  the  Israelitish  people, 

"Jehovah  spake  with  you  face  to  face  from  the  mount,  out  of  the  midst 
of  the  fire"  {Dent.  v.  4);  respecfling  which  it  is  further  said,  Jeho- 
vah "hath  made  [us]  to  see  His  glory  and  His  greatness,  and  we 
have  heard  His  voice  out  of  the  midst  of  the  fire  ;  we  have  seen 
this  day  that  God  doth  talk  to  man  and  he  remaineth  alive  "  {Deut. 
V.  24). 

And  respedrting  Moses  : 

"Jehovah  spake  unto  Moses  face  to  face,  as  a  man  speaketh  to  his  com- 
panion "  (Exod.  xxxiii.  11  ;  Dent,  xxxiv.  10). 

[16.]  But  it  should  be  known  that  no  man,  nor  even  any  angel, 
can  see  the  Lord's  face,  since  it  is  Di\  ine  love,  and  no  one  can 
endure  the  Divine  love  such  as  it  is  in  itself;  for  to  see  the  Lord's 
face  would  be  like  letting  the  eye  into  the  very  fire  of  the  sun, 
which  would  instantly  destroy  it.  Such  is  the  Lord's  Divine  love 
viewed  in  itself;  therefore  to  those  in  the  interior  heavens  the 
Lord  appears  as  a  sun,  and  that  sun  is  encompassed  by  many 
radiant  circles,  which  form  coverings  one  after  another,  in  order 
that  the  Di\ine  love  may  go  forth  to  the  angels  in  heaven  tem- 
pered and  moderated,  and  thus  the  angels  may  endure  it ;  the 
Lord  therefore  appears  as  a  sun  to  angels  of  the  higher  heavens 
only,  while  to  angels  of  the  lower  heavens  He  appears  merely  as 
light,  and  to  the  rest  as  a  moon.  Ne\-ertheless,  in  heaven  the 
Lord  appears  to  angels,  but  under  an  angelic  form  ;  for  He  fills 
an  angel  with  His  asped^,  and  thus  with  His  presence,  from  afar, 
and  this  He  does  in  various  places,  but  everywhere  in  accommo- 
dation to  the  good  of  love  and  of  faith  in  those  to  whom  He  ap- 
pears.    Thus  the  Lord  was  seen  by  Gideon,  and  by  Manoah  and 


CHAP.   VI.,    VKKSE    I  6. —  N.   4I-^[f'].  987 

his  wife,  also  by  Moses,  and  the  Israelitish  people.  This,  therefore, 
is  what  is  meant  by  "  seeing  Jehovah  face  to  face,"  and  by  "seeing 
Jehovah  and  not  dying."  It  is  clearly  evident  that  the  face  itself 
in  respe6l  to  the  interiors  which  are  of  His  Divine  love  was  not 
seen,  for  it  was  said  to  Moses, 

That  no  one  can  see  Jehovah's  face  and  live  {Exod.  xxxiii.  20). 

Yet  it  is  said  that  "they  saw  Jehovah  fice  to  face  ;"  which  shows 
clearly  that  "seeing  the  faces  of  Jehovah"  in  the  passages  cited 
above  signifies  seeing  Him  in  the  interiors  of  the  Word,  of  the 
church,  and  of  worship,  which  nevertheless  is  seeing  Him  in  ex- 
ternals from  internals.  That  the  Jewish  nation  was  in  the  exter- 
nals of  the  Word,  of  the  church,  and  of  worship,  apart  from  in- 
ternals, may  l)e  seen  in  the  Doctrine  of  the  New  jferusalem  (n. 

248  ;  what  the  external  is  apart  from  the  internal,  and  what  the  external  is  in  which 

is  the  internal, see  n.  47).  [17.]  That  the  Jewish  nation  was  such,  was 
also  represented  and  signified  by 

Their  covering  the  Lord's  face,  striking  it,  and  spitting  in  it  {Matt.  xxvi. 
67  ;  Mark  xiv.  65  ;  Luke  xxii.  64) ; 

for  all  things  related  in  the  Word  respe(!-l:ing  the  Lord's  passion 
represent  and  signify  arcana  of  heaven  and  the  church,  and  in 
particular  what  the  Jews  vvere  in  respect  to  the  Word,  the  church, 

and  worship.       (That  this  is  so,  see  above,  n.  64,  83,  I95[i:].) 

[^.]  [18.]  It  can  be  known  from  what  has  been  thus  far  ex- 
plained, that  "the  face"  of  Jehovah  or  the  Lord  signifies  the  Di- 
vine love,  and  all  good  in  heaven  and  in  the  church  therefrom  ; 
and  from  this  it  can  be  known  what  is  signified  by  "  hiding  "  or 
"covering  the  faces,"  in  reference  to  Jehovah  or  the  Lord, 
namely,  that  it  is  to  leave  man  in  what  is  his  own  {propi-ium)  and 
thus  in  the  evils  and  falsities  that  spring  forth  from  what  is  his 
own  (proprii/m);  for  man  viewed  in  himself  is  nothing  but  evil  and 
falsity  therefrom,  and  that  he  may  be  in  good  he  must  be  withheld 
from  these  by  the  Lord,  which  is  effetled  by  being  lifted  out  of 
what  is  his  own  \ pmprinm).  From  this  it  can  be  seen  that  "hid- 
ing and  covering  the  faces,"  in  reference  to  the  Lord,  signifies  to 
leave  in  evils  and  falsities  ;  as  in  the  following  passages.  In  fe?-- 
emiah : 

"For  all  their  wickedness   I   have  covered   My  faces  from  this  city" 

(xxxiii,  5). 

In  Isaiah  : 

"  Your  sins  have  hid  God's  faces  from  you,  that  He  hath  not  heard  " 

(lix.  2). 


gSS  APOCALYPSE   EXPLAINED. 

In  Ezckicl : 

"  My  faces  will  I  turn  from  them,  that  they  may  profane  My  secret,  and 
that  the  violent  may  enter  into  it  and  profane  it  "  (vii.  22). 

In  the  same, 

"The  nations  shall  know  that  for  their  iniquity  the  sons  of  Israel  went 
into  captivity  ;. .  .  .and  therefore  will  I  hide  My  faces  from  them" 
(xxxix.  23). 

In  Lamentations: 

"  The  face  of  Jehovah  hath  divided  them  ;  He  will  no  more  regard  them  " 
(iv.  16). 

In  Micali  : 

Jehovah  "will  cover  His  faces  from  them even  as  they  have  made 

their  works  evil "  (iii.  4). 

In  David  : 

"  Thou  didst  hide  Thy  faces,  I  was  troubled  "  {Psalm  xxx.  7). 

In  the  same, 

"Wherefore  hidest  Thou  Thy  faces,  and  forgettest  our  wretchedness 
and  our  oppression  ?"  {Psalm  xliv.  24.) 

In  the  same, 

"Thou  hidest  Thy  faces,  they  are  troubled;  Thou  gatherest  in  their 
spirit,  they  expire,  and  return  to  their  dust "  {Psalm  civ.  29). 

In  Moses : 

"  My  anger  shall  be  kindled  against "  the  people  "  in  that  day,  and  I  will 

forsake  them,  and  will  hide  My  faces  from  them In  hiding  I 

will  hide  My  faces  in  that  day  because  of  all  the  evil  which  they 
have  wrought"  {Deut.  xxxi.  17,  18). 

In  the  same, 

"  I  will  cover  My  faces  from  them  ; . . . .  they  are  a  generation  of  per- 
versions" {Deut.  xxxii.  20). 

In  Isaiah  : 

"  I  will  wait  for  Jehovah,  although  He  hideth  His  faces  from  the  house 
of  Jacob  "  (viii.  17). 

In  David  : 

"  How  long  wilt  Thou  forget  me,  O  Jehovah ?  how  long  wilt  Thou 

cover  Thy  faces  from  me?"  {Psalm  xiii.  i.) 

In  the  same, 

"  Hide  not  Thy  faces  from  me  ;  put  not  Thy  servant  away  in  anger " 
{Psalm  xxvii.  9). 

In  ihe  same, 


CHAP.   VI.,  VERSE    l6. — N.   4I2[<^].  989 

"  Hide  not  Thy  frices  from  Thy  servant,  for  I  am  in  distress  ;  hasten, 
answer  nic  "  (Psnlni  Ixix.  17). 

In  the  same, 

"O  Jehovah,  why  forsakest  Thou  my  soul  ?  why  hidest  Thou  Thy  faces 
from  me  ?"  (Psalm  Ixxxviii.  14.) 

In  the  same, 

"  Hide  not  Thy  faces  from  me  in  the  day  of  my  distress  "  {Psalm  cii.  2). 

In  the  same, 

"  Answer  me,  O  Jehovah  ; .  .  .  .  hide  not  Thy  faces  from  me,  lest  [  be- 
come like  them  that  go  down  into  the  pit  "  {Psalm  cxiiii.  7). 

In  Ezekiel: 

When  1  shall  have  gathered  the  sons  of  Israel  into  their  own  land,  "  then 
will  I  not  hide  My  faces  any  longer  from  them,  for  I  will  pour  oul 
My  spirit  upon  the  sons  of  Israel "  (xxxix.  28,  29). 

In  David  : 

"  He  hath  not  despised  nor  turned  away  from  the  afflidlion  "  of  Israel  . 
"  neither  hath  He  hid  His  faces  from  him  ;  but  when  he  cried  untc 
Him  He  heard  "  {Psalm  xxii.  24). 

[19.]  In  these  passages  it  is  .said  that  Jehovah,  that  is,  the  Lord, 
covers  and  hides  His  faces  on  account  of  iniquities  and  sins,  and 
He  is  entreated  not  to  cover  or  hide  them,  and  yet  He  never 
covers  or  hides,  that  is.  His  Divine  good  or  Divine  truth  :  for  the 
Lord  is  Divine  love  itself  and  mercy  itself,  and  desires  the  salva- 
tion of  all  ;  therefore  He  is  present  with  all  and  with  each  one, 
even  with  those  who  are  in  iniquities  and  sins,  and  by  this  presence 
He  gives  them  freedom  to  receive  Him,  that  is,  truth  and  good 
from  Him,  consequently  they  do  receive  if  from  freedom  they  de- 
sire to.  Reception  must  be  from  freedom,  in  order  that  goods  and 
truths  may  abide  in  man,  and  be  in  him  as  his  own  ;  for  what  a 
man  does  from  freedom  he  does  from  affe6lion,  for  all  freedom  is 
of  affedlion,  and  affeflion  is  man's  will ;  therefore  what  is  received 
in  freedom,  or  from  man's  affection,  enters  his  will  and  endures. 
It  then  endures  because  the  will  is  the  man  himself  and  in  the  will 
his  life  primarily  resides,  but  secondarilv  in  the  thought  or  the 
understanding.  This  is  why  man  ought  to  receive  Di\'ine  good 
and  Divine  truth,  with  which  the  Lord  is  always  present.  [20.] 
This  is  what  is  meant  by 

"Behold  I  stand  at  the  door  and  knock ;  if  any  man  hear  My  voice  and 
open  the  door,  I  will  come  in  to  him  and  will  sup  with  him  "  {Apoc. 
iii.  20). 

But  when  man  from  freedom  chooses  evil  he  shuts  the  door  tc 


990  APOCAI.YPSI-;    K.\Pl.AINi:i). 

himself,  aiul  thus  docs  iu)t  kt  in  the  j^ood  and  tiulli  lli.il  an-  Ironi 
the  Lord  ;  consequently  the  Lord  then  appears  to  be  absent.  It  is 
from  this  appearance  that  it  is  said  that  Jehovah  covers  and  hides 
His  faces,  althouyh  He  does  not  cover  or  hide.  Moreoxcr  man 
as  to  his  spirit  then  turns  avva\'  from  the  Lord,  ;uid  conseciuently 
does  not  perceive  good  or  see  truth,  wliich  are  from  the  Lord  ; 
this  is  why  it  seems  as  if  the  Lord  did  not  see  him  ;  and  yet  the 
Lord  sees  each  and  every  thing  pertaining  to  man.  It  is  from 
this  appearance  that  the  Lord  is  said  to  co\er  and  hide  His  faces, 
and  also  is  said  to  set  [  ponere  ei  dare)  His  faces  again.st  them,  also 
that  He  regards  them  with  the  back  of  the  neck  and  not  with 
the  faces,  as  in  the  following  passages.     In  yeretniah  : 

"I  have  set  Mv  faces  against  this  city  for  evil,  and  not  for  good  '  (xxi. 

ID). 

In  the  same, 

"I  set  My  faces  against  you  for  evil,  to  cut  off  all  Judah  "  (xliv.  ii). 

In  Ezekiel : 

"  I  will  set  My  faces  against  that  man,  and  I  will  lay  him  waste and 

I  will  cut  him  off  from  the  midst  of  j\ly  people"  (xiv.  8). 

In  the  same, 

"  I  will  set  My  faces  against  them  ;  let  them  go  forth  from  the  fire  and 
the  fire  shall  devour  them,  ....  when  I  shall  have  set  My  faces 
against  them  "  (xv.  -j). 

In  Moses  : 

"He  that  shall  eat  any  blood,  I  will  set  My  faces  against  that  soul,.... 
and  I  will  cut  him  off  "  {Lev.  xvii.  lo). 

In  yeremiah  : 

"As  an  east  wind  will  I  scatter  them  before  the  enemy  ;  with  the  back 
of  the  neck,  and  not  with  the  face,  will  I  regard  them  "  (xviii.  17). 

That  it  is  man  who  sets  his  face  against  the  Lord  and  m  ho  turns 
himself  away  from  the  Lord,  whence  evil  comes  to  him,  is  evident 
also  from  the  Word.     As  in  yeremiah  : 

"  They  have  turned  unto  Me  the  back  of  the  neck,  and  not  the  faces  " 
(xxxii.  33). 

In  the  same, 

"  They  have  made  their  faces  harder  than  a  rock  ;  they  have  refused  to 
return  "  (v.  3). 

In  the  same, 

"They  have  gone  away  in  their  own  counsels,  in  the  hardening  of  their 
evil  heart,  and  they  have  become  turned  backwards  and  not  for- 
wards "  (vii.  24). 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE    l6. — N.  412[<f].  991 

And  in  Isaiah  : 

"  Your  sins  have  hid  God's  faces  from  you  "  (lix.  2). 

[21.]  That  the  wicked  turn  away  their  face  from  the  Lord  does 
not  mean  that  they  do  it  with  the  face  of  the  body,  but  w  ith 
the  face  of  their  spirit.  Man  can  turn  his  face  whatever  way  he 
pleases,  since  he  is  in  a  state  of  freedom  to  turn  himself  either  to- 
wards heaven  or  towards  hell,  and  a  man's  face  is  taught  to  de- 
ceive for  the  sake  of  the  appearance  before  the  world  ;  but  when 
man  becomes  a  spirit,  which  he  does  immediately  after  death,  then 
he  who  had  lived  in  evils  wholly  turns  the  face  away  from  the 

Lord  (as  can  be  seen  from  what  has  been  said  and  shown  in  Heaven  and  Hell, 

n.  17,  123,  142,  144,  14s,  151,  153,  251,  272,  511,  552,  561).  This  is  what  is 
meant  by  "They  have  turned  unto  Me  the  back  of  the  neck, 
and  not  the  face,"  and  "they  have  become  turned  backwards  and 
not  forwards."  And  because  such  then  endure  the  evil  of  punish- 
ment and  hell,  those  who  turn  themselves  away  imagine  that  this 
is  from  the  Lord,  and  that  He  regards  them  with  a  stern  counte- 
nance, and  casts  them  down  into  hell,  and  punishes  them  just  as 
an  angry  man  would  do,  when  in  fa(5l  the  Lord  regards  no  one 
in  any  other  way  than  from  love  and  mercy.  It  is  from  that  ap- 
pearance that  these  things  are  said  in  the  Word.     In  Isaiah: 

"  When  Thou  shall  do  fearful  things  that  we  look  not  for, .  . .  .the  mount- 
ains shall  flow  down  before  Thee  "  (Ixiv.  3). 

In  David  : 

"  It  is  burned  with  fire,  it  is  cut  down  ;  they  have  perished  at  the  rebuke, 
of  Thy  faces  "  {Psalm  Ixxx.  16). 

In  the  same, 

"The  faces  of  Jehovah  are  against  them  that  do  evil,  to  cut  off  the  re- 
membrance of  them  from  the  earth  "  {Psalm  xxxiv.  16). 

In  Moses : 

"  Behold  I  send  an  angel  before  thee Take  ye  heed  of  his  faces  ; 

.  . .  .for  he  will  not  bear  your  prevarication  "  {Exod.  xxiii.  20,  21). 

In  Ezekiel: 

"  I  will  lead  you  into  the  desert  of  the  peoples,  and  I  will  have  judg- 
ment with  you  face  to  face  "  (xx.  35). 

In  Moses : 

"When  the  ark  set  forward,  Moses  said,  Arise  O  Jehovah,  let  Thine 
enemies  be  scattered  ;  and  let  them  that  hate  Thee  flee  before  Thy 
faces  "  {Num.  x.  35). 

In  the  Apocalypse : 


992  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

"I  s^w  a  throne  hi]tjh  and  great,  and   Him  that  sat  on  it,  from  whose 
face  the  earth  and  the  heaven  fled  away  "  (xx.  ii). 

[/•]  [22.]  These  things  are  said  respecting  the  signification 
of  the  face  in  reference  to  Jehovah  or  the  Lord.  The  face  in  re- 
ference to  man  signifies  his  disposition  and  affe6tion,  and  accord- 
ingly the  interiors  which  belong  to  his  mind,  and  this  because  the 
disposition  and  affe6lions,  or  the  interiors  that  belong  to  man's 
mind,  present  themseKes  to  be  seen  in  the  face  ;  this  is  why  the 
face  is  said  to  be  an  index  of  the  disposition ;  the  face  also  is  an 
effigy  of  the  interiors  of  man,  for  it  represents  them,  and  his  coun- 
tenance corresponds  to  them.  That  "faces"  in  reference  to  man 
signify  affe6lions  of  various  kinds,  can  be  seen  Irom  the  following 
passages.     In  /saia/i  : 

They  say,  "  Get  you  out  of  the  way,  turn  aside  out  of  the  path,  cause  the 
Holy  One  of  Israel  to  cease  from  our  faces  "  (xxx.  ii). 

"Cause  the  Holy  One  of  Israel  to  cease  from  our  faces"  signifies 
to  cause  the  Lord  to  cease  from  the  thought  and  affedlion,  thus 
everything  of  the  church,  "the  Holy  One  of  Israel"  meaning  the 
Lord  ;  to  withdraw  from  the  truth  and  good  of  the  church,  which 
is  from  the  Lord  and  in  which  is  the  Lord,  is  signified  by  "  Get 
you  out  of  the  way,  turn  aside  out  of  the  path,"  "way  "  and  "  path  " 
meaning  the  truth  and  good  of  the  church.  [23.]  In  Lavienta- 
tions  : 

"  They  have  not  accepted  the  faces  of  the  priests,  and  they  have  not 
had  pity  upon  the  old  "  (iv.  i6). 

Again, 

"  Princes  were  hanged  up  by  their  hand  ;  the  faces  of  the  old  were  not 
honored  "  (v.  12). 

"Not  to  accept  the  faces  of  the  priests  "  signifies  to  value  as  no- 
thing the  goods  of  the  church,  which  are  of  love  and  faith ;  for 
"the  priests"  represented  the  Lord  in  respe6l  to  Divine  good,  and 
thus  signified  the  good  of  the  church,  and  "  faces  "  signify  all  things 
thei"eof  that  have  reference  to  love  and  faith.  "Not  to  honor 
'  the  faces  of  the  old"  signifies  to  account  as  nothing  all  things  of 
wisdom,  "the  old"  signifying  wisdom,  and  "faces"  all  things 
thereof,  because  they  signify  interior  things.  "  The  princes  hanged 
tip  by  their  hand"  signify  that  all  intelligence  was  rejected, 
'"princes"  meaning  the  primary  truths  from  which  there  is  intel- 
ligence.    [24.]    In  Moses  : 

Jacob  said  respecfting  Esau,  "  I  will  appease  his  faces  with  the  present 
that  goeth  before  me,  and  afterwards  I  will  see  his  faces ;  perad- 
venture  he  will  accept  my  faces  "  {Gen.  xxxii.  19.  20). 


CHAP.   VI.,  VERSE    l6. — N.  4I2[/].  993 

''To  appease  his  faces"  signifies  to  secure  his  good  will,  "after- 
wards to  see  his  faces"  signifies  to  know  what  the  disposition  is  ; 
" peradventure  he  will  accept  my  faces"  signifies,  peradventure 
he  will  receive  me  with  a  kindly  disposition,  "to  accept  the  faces" 
meaning  to  have  good  will  towards  any  one  from  affection .  ]n 
the  same, 

"Thou  shalt  not  wrest  judgment ;  thou  shalt  not  regard  faces,  neittier 
take  a  gift  "  {Deut.  xvi.  19). 

"Not  to  regard  faces"  signifies  not  to  have  the  mind  better  dis- 
posed towards  superiors,  the  rich,  and  friends,  than  towards  inle- 
riors,  the  poor,  and  enemies,  because  what  is  just  and  right  is  to 
be  regarded  without  respect  to  person.     [25.]    In  Malachi : 

"  I  have  made  you  contemptible  and  base  before  all  the  people,  accord- 
ing as  ye  keep  not  My  ways,  and  accept  faces  in  the  law  "  (ii.  9). 

"Accepting  faces  in  the  law"  has  the  same  signification  as  "  re- 
garding faces  in  judgment,"  quoted  above,  namely,  to  have  the 
mind  better  disposed  towards,  and  to  show  more  favor  to  supe- 
riors, the  rich,  and  friends,  than  to  inferiors,  the  poor,  and  ene- 
mies.    In  Isaiah  : 

"What  mean  ye  ?  ye  crush  the  people,  and  grind  the  faces  of  the  poor  " 
(ill.  15). 

"To  grind  the  faces  of  the  poor"  signifies  to  destroy  atfections 
for  knowing  truth  in  those  who  are  in  ignorance  of  truths  and  yet 
wish  to  be  instructed,  "to  grind"  signifying  to  destroy,  "faces'' 
signifying  affe(5lions  for  knowing  truths,  and  "the  poor"  those 
who  are  in  ignorance  of  truth  but  wish  to  be  instru6led,  for  these 
are  the  spiritually  poor.     [26.]    In  David  : 

"The  daughter  of  Tyre  shall  bring  a  gift  ;  the  rich  among  the  people 
shall  entreat  thy  faces.  The  king's  daughter  is  all  glorious  within  ; 
her  clothing  is  inwrought  with  gold"  {Psalm  xlv.  12,  13). 

"The  king's  daughter"  signifies  spiritual  affection  for  truth,  "the 
daughter  of  Tyre"  signifies  affection  for  knowledges  of  truth  and 
good  ;  to  be  enriched  with  these  is  signified  by  "  bringing  a  gift ;" 
"the  rich  among  the  people"  signify  the  intelligent,  and  in  an  ab- 
stract sense,  an  understanding  of  truth  and  good  ;  to  be  gifted 
with  these  is  signified  by  "entreating  his  faces  ;"  for  all  things  of 
intelligence  dwell  in  spiritual  affection  for  truth,  which  therefore 

is    signified    by    his    "faces."       (The  rest  may  be  seen  explained  above,  n. 

I95['^]-)     [27.]   In  the  same, 

"Yet  do  I  trust  in  Him,  the  salvations  of  my  faces,  my  God"  {Psalm 
xlii.  II  ;  xliii.  5). 


994  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINKD. 

"The  salvations  of  My  faces"  signify  all  things  that  are  within, 
thus  those  that  arc  of  the  mind  and  affe<!^ions,  accordingly  those 
that  are  of  love  and  faith  ;  because  these  are  what  save  they  are 
called  "salvations."  Evil  afifedlions,  which  are  lusts,  are  expressed 
by  the  same  term  "faces,"  because  they  appear  in  the  face,  for 
the  face  is  the  external  or  natural  form  of  the  interiors,  which  are 
of  the  disposition  and  mind  ;  and  in  the  spiritual  world  these  make 
one,  for  there  it  is  not  permitted  to  put  on  other  faces  than  those 
that  are  from  the  affections,  thus  that  correspond  to  the  interiors 
which  are  of  their  mind.  This  is  why  the  angels  of  heaven  are 
radiant  and  lovely  in  face,  while  infernal  spirits  are  dusky  and 
misshapen  in  face.  [28.]  This,  too,  is  evidently  the  meaning  of 
"faces"  in  the  following  passages.     In  Isaiah: 

"  Pangs  and  sorrows  take  hold  of  them,  they  are  in  pain  like  a  woman 
bringing  forth  ;  they  are  amazed  every  man  at  his  companion  ; 
their  faces  are  faces  of  flames  "  (xiii.  8). 

This  treats  of  the  last  judgment,  when  the  evil  are  let  into  their 
interiors.  The  interiors  of  those  who  are  in  the  love  of  self  and 
the  world,  and  thus  in  hatreds  and  revenges,  are  meant  by  "their 
faces  are  faces  of  flames  ;"  and  such  do  they  appear.  Their  tor- 
ments from  the  influx  of  Divine  good  and  Divine  truth  are  signi- 
fied by  "  pangs  and  sorrows  take  hold  of  them,  they  are  in  pain 
hke  a  woman  bringing  forth."  Their  torments  are  likened  to  the 
pangs  and  sorrows  of  women  bringing  forth  for  the  same  reason 
that  the  comparison  is  used  in  Genesis  iii.  i6;  for  evils  and  falsi- 
ties are  then  conjoined  ;  and  when  this  is  the  case  "sorrows  take 
hold"  when  Divine  good  and  truth  flow  in.     [29.]    In  Ezekiel: 

"  Say  to  the  forest  of  the  south, ....  The  flame  of  the  grievous  flame  shall 
not  be  quenched,  wherefore  all  faces  from  the  south  even  to  the 
north  shall  be  burned  therein  "  (xx.  47). 

"The  forest  of  the  south"  means  falsity  within  the  church,  con- 
sequently those  there  who  are  in  falsities  ;  the  church  is  signified 
by  "  the  south  "  because  it  can  be  in  the  light  of  truth  from  the 
Word ;  and  falsity  from  evil  is  signified  by  "forest ;"  the  vastation 
and  destrudlion  of  the  church  by  the  love  of  falsity  from  evil  is 
signified  by  "the  flame  of  the  grievous  flame,"  by  which  all 
faces  shall  be  burned,  "all  faces"  meaning  all  the  interiors  of  the 
men  of  the  church  in  respedl  to  afleftions  for  truth  and  good, 
and  thoughts  therefrom;  "from  the  south  even  to  the  north" 
signifies  all  things  of  the  church  from  first  to  last,  or  interior  and 
exterior,  "the  south"  meaning  the  interior  or  first  things  of  the 


CHAP.    VI.,   VERSE    1 6. — N.   4I2[/].  995 

church,  and  "  the  north  "  the  exterior  or  last  things  of  the  church  ; 
this  is  the  signitication  of"  the  south"  and  "the  north"  because 
those  who  are  in  the  Hght  of  truth  from  the  Lord  are  in  the  south- 
ern quarter  in  the  spiritual  world  ;  while  in  the  hells  under  them 
are  those  who  are  in  natural  himeyi  by  means  of  which  they  have 
confirmed  themselves  in  falsities  ;  and  in  the  northern  quarter  are 
those  who  are  in  obscurity  of  truth  from  the  Lord,  and  in  the 
hells  under  them  are  those  who  are  in  falsities,  but  not  in  any  nat- 
ural Imnen  whereby  they  have  confirmed  their  falsities.  [30.]  In 
Joel  : 

"  Before  him  the  peoples  tremble  ;  all  faces  have  gathered  blackness  " 

(ii.  6). 

This  treats  of  evils  and  falsities  devastating  the  church,  and  of 
judgment  upon  those  who  are  in  them  ;  those  who  are  in  falsities 
are  signified  by  "the  peoples  "  who  tremble  ;  their  interiors  which 
are  in  falsities  of  evil  are  signified  by  "  the  faces  that  have  gathered 
blackness,"  "faces"  meaning  the  interiors,  and  "blackness"  fals- 
ity of  evil.  The  infernals  who  are  in  falsities  from  evil  appear 
olack  in  the  light  of  heaven.     [31.]    In  Daniel : 

"In  the  end  of  their  kingdom,  when  the  transgressors  are  come  to  the 
full,  a  king  hard  in  faces  shall  rise  up  "  (viii.  23). 

This  was  said  of  the  four  horns  of  the  he-goat,  by  which  are  there 
meant  four  kingdoms,  but  "kingdoms"  there  do  not  mean  king- 
doms but  states  of  the  church,  for  "  a  he-goat  of  the  goats  "  means 
faith  separated  from  charity,  which  is  called  faith  alone.  "  The 
end  of  their  kingdom"  signifies  the  end  of  the  church,  when  there 
is  no  faith  because  there  is  no  charity.  "When  the  transgressors 
are  come  to  the  full"  signifies  when  there  are  no  longer  truth  and 
good,  but  evil  and  falsity  ;  these  words  signify  the  same  as  "when 
iniquity  is  consummated  and  fulfilled  "  (respedling  which  see  above,  n. 
397).  "A  king  hard  in  faces  "  signifies  no  truth  but  only  falsity 
in  their  interiors,  "  king  "  signifying  truth,  and  in  the  contrary 
sense  falsity,  "faces"  the  interiors,  and  "hard  in  faces  "the  inte- 
riors without  good  ;  for  where  there  is  no  good,  truth  is  hard, 
while  truth  from  good  is  mild,  because  living ;  and  truth  without 
good  even  becomes  falsity  in  their  interiors  or  thought,  since 
they  do  not  think  about  it  spiritually  but  materially,  because 
they  think  from  things  corporeal  and  worldly,  and  thus  from  the 
fallacies  of  the  senses.     [32.]   In  Ezekiel: 

"Sons  hard  in  their  faces,  and  hardened  in  heart  "  (ii.  4) 


996  APOCALYPSE    EXPLAINED. 

"Sons  hard  in  their  faces"  signify  those  who  are  in  truths  without 
good,  and  in  an  abstract  sense  truths  without  good,  which  in  them- 
selves are  falsities  (as  has  been  said  above) ;  and  "hardened  in  heart" 
signifies  those  who  do  not  admit  good,  and  who  are  therefore  in 
evil,  for  where  good  cannot  enter  evil  enters  ;  "the  heart"  signifies 
also  in  the  Word  good  of  love,  and  "a  hardened  heart"  signifies 
the  same  as  "a  stony  heart,"  namely,  where  good  of  love  is  not 
admitted;  but  "a  heart  of  flesh "  signifies  where  it  is  admitted. 
[33.]    In  Isaiah: 

"  Their  tongue  and  their  doings  are  against  Jehovah,  to  rebel  against  the 
eyes  of  His  glory  ;  the  hardness  of  their  faces  doth  witness  against 
them  "  (iii.  8,  9). 

"Their  tongue  and  their  doings"  which  are  against  Jehovah  sig- 
nify thought  and  affection,  "the  tongue"  thought,  because  the 
tongue  utters  what  man  thinks,  and  "doings"  affe6lion,  because 
a  man  does  what  is  of  his  affection  ;  these  "  are  against  Jehovah, 
and  rebel  against  the  eyes  of  His  glory  "  when  they  are  against 
Divine  good  and  against  Divine  truth,  for  "Jehovah"  in  the 
Word  means  the  Lord  in  respedl:  to  Divine  good  going  forth 
Irom  His  Divine  love,  and  "His  glory"  means  Divine  truth;  to 
be  against  this  is  signified  by  "rebelling  against  the  eyes  of  His 
glory."  "The  hardness  of  their  faces"  which  witnesses  against 
them  signifies  to  refuse  Divine  truth  and  Divine  good,  and  not 
admit  them  into  their  thoughts  and  aflfedlions,  which  are  their 
interiors.     [34.]    In  Ezekiel : 

"  Behold  I  have  made  thy  faces  hard  against  their  faces,  and  thy  fore- 
head hard  against  their  forehead  "  (iii.  8). 

This  was  said  to  the  prophet,  by  whom  is  signified  the  do6lrine 
of  truth  and  good  combating  against  falsities  and  evils  ;  therefore 
"  his  faces  made  hard  against  their  faces "  signifies  the  reje6lion 
of  falsities  by  truths,  and  "his  forehead  hard  against  their  fore- 
head" signifies  the  reje6lion  of  evil  by  good  ;  for  "faces"  signify 
affe6lions  for  truth  or  affecftions  for  falsity,  and  "forehead"  sig- 
nifies afife6lion  for  good  or  afifedlion  for  evil.  Affedlion  for  truth 
and  good  is  hardened  and  becomes  outwardly  hard  from  zeal, 
when  it  is  combating  against  falsity  and  evil,  otherwise  it  could 
not  repulse  them  ;  but  it  is  not  so  inwardly.  From  this  it  can 
be  seen  how  these  words  must  be  understood.  Since  "  faces  "  sig- 
nify man's  interiors,  or  the  things  that  are  of  his  thought  and  af- 
fe61:ion,  the  same  word  in  the  Hebrew  that  means  "face"  means 
what  is  interior. 


CHAP.  VI.,  VERSE    17. — N.  4I3[a].  997 

r<7»J  [35.]  (In  these  explanations  various  things  have  been  said  respecfling 
"  faces  "  which  cannot  be  easily  understood,  perhaps,  without  further  exposition  ;  I 
will  therefore  add  what  has  been  said  and  shown  respecting  faces  in  the  Arcana  Cae- 
lestia,  namely,  that  the  face  is  formed  to  a  correspondence  with  man's  interiors,  n. 
4791-4805,  5695  ;  on  the  correspondence  of  the  face  and  countenance  with  the  affec- 
tions of  the  mind,  n.  1568,  2988,  2989,  3631,  4796,  4797, 4800,  5165,  5168-,  9306  ;  conse- 
quently the  interiors  shine  forth  from  the  face,  n.  3527,  4066,  4796  ;  with  the  ancients 
the  face  made  one  with  the  interiors,  n.  3573,4326,  5695;  it  also  makes  one  with  the 
interiors  with  angels  in  heaven,  and  with  sincere  men  in  the  world,  n.  4796,  4797, 
4799,  5695,  8250 ;  in  the  other  life  the  faces  of  all  become  such  as  their  interiors  are,  n. 
4798,  5695  ;  experiences  respedling  changes  of  the  face  there  according  to  the  inte- 
riors, n.  4796,  6604  ;  on  the  influx  of  the  interiors  of  the  mind,  or  of  the  understand- 
ing and  will  into  the  face  and  its  muscles,  n.  3631,  4800;  with  flatterers,  dissemblers, 
hypocrites,  and  the  deceitful,  the  face  does  not  adt  as  one  with  the  interiors,  n.  4799, 
8250 ;  with  such  the  face  is  taught  to  feign  sincerity,  honesty,  and  piety,  n.  4326 ; 
how  influx  from  the  brains  into  the  face  became  changed  in  process  of  time,  and 
with  it  the  face  itself  in  respedl  to  its  correspondence  with  the  interiors,  n.  4326,  8250 ; 
the  natural  of  man  is  like  an  interior  face  to  the  spiritual  mind  and  its  sight,  n.  5165, 
5168.  See  also  what  has  been  said  and  shown  respecfling  faces  in  Heaven  and  Hell, 
n.  46-48,  142-144,  457-459,  553.) 

4I3[#«].    [  Verse  17.]  " Fop  the  great  day  of  His  anger  is  come  " 

signifies  the  last  judgment  tipon  the  evil. — This  is  evident  from 
the  tollowing  passages  from  the  Word.  The  last  judgment,  which 
is  signified  by  "  the  great  day,"  is  upon  both  the  evil  and  the  good  ; 
judgment  upon  the  evil  is  called  "a  day  of  indignation,"  "of 
wrath,"  "of  anger"  and  "of  vengeance,"  while  judgment  upon  the 
good  is  called  "  the  time  of  the  Lord's  coming,"  "the  vear  of  His 
good  pleasure,"  "the  year  of  the  redeemed,"  "the  year  of  salva- 
tion." Every  one,  whether  evil  or  good,  is  judged  immediately 
after  death  when  he  enters  the  spiritual  world,  where  he  is  to  live 
to  eternity,  for  man  is  then  immediately  marked  out  either  for 
heaven  or  for  hell  ;  he  that  is  marked  out  for  heaven  is  conne6led 
with  some  heavenly  society  into  which  he  will  afterwards  come,  and 
he  that  is  marked  out  for  hell  is  connected  with  the  infernal  society 
into  which  he  will  afterwards  come.  There  is,  however,  an  interval 
of  time  before  they  go  thither,  chiefly  for  the  purpose  of  prepara- 
tion ;  for  the  good,  that  the  evils  that  adhere  to  them  from  the  body 
in  the  world  may  be  wiped  away  ;  and  for  the  evil,  that  the  goods 
that  adhere  to  them  outwardly  from  teachers  and  from  religion 
may  be  taken  away  ;  according  to  the  Lord's  words  in  Matthew  : 

"Whosoever  hath,  to  him  shall  be  given,  that  he  may  have  more  abund- 
antly ;  whosoever  hath  not,  from  him  shall  be  taken  away  even 
that  he  hath"  (xiii.  12  ;  xxv.  29). 

This  delay  occurs  for  this  reason  also,  that  the  aflfeflions,  which 
are  of  many  kinds,  may  be  so  arranged  and  reduced  to  the  ruling 
love  that  the  man-spirit  may  become  wholly  his  own  love.  Yet 
many,  both  evil  and  good,  were  reserved  for  the  last  judgment ; 
but  only  such  of  the  evil  as  from  habit  acquired  in  the  world  had 


99S  APOCALYPSK   EXPI.AINKIi. 

been  able  to  lead  a  iiKjral  life  in  externals,  and  such  of  the  yood  as 
Irom  ignorance  and  from  their  religion  had  been  imbued  with  fals- 
ities ;  the  rest,  when  their  time  had  been  fulfilled,  were  separated 
from  these,  the  good  were  raised  up  into  heaven,  and  the  e\'il  were 
cast  into  hell,  and  this  before  the  last  judgment.  [2.]  The  last 
.judgment  is  called  "the  great  day  of  the  anger  of  God"  because 
to  the  evil  who  are  cast  down  into  hell  it  seems  as  if  it  were  God. 
who  did  this  from  anger  and  wrath,  for  the  destruction  that  then 
comes  upon  them  comes  from  above,  and  also  from  the  east  where 
the  Lord  is  as  a  sun,  and  they  are  then  in  terrors,  griefs,  and  tor- 
ments. But  the  Lord  has  no  anger  whatever,  for  he  is  love  and 
mercy  itself  and  good  itself;  and  j^ure  love  and  essential  good  can- 
not be  angry,  for  this  is  contrary  to  its  essence.  But  it  so  seems 
for  this  reason  :  when  the  last  state  is  reached,  which  is  when  evils 
on  the  earth  and  at  the  same  time  in  the  spiritual  world  have  so  in- 
creased that  the  supremacy  inclines  to  their  side,  and  thereby  the 
equilibrium  betw-een  heaven  and  hell  is  destroyed,  and  this  being  de- 
stroyed the  heavens  where  the  angels  dwell  begin  to  be  disturbed, 
then  the  Lord  from  the  sun  dire6ls  His  energy,  that  is,  His  love, 
to  protecting  the  angels  and  restoring  the  state  which  is  disturbed 
and  begins  to  totter  ;  and  by  this  energy  and  power  Divine  truth 
united  to  Divine  good,  which  in  its  essence  is  Divine  love,  pene- 
trates through  the  heavens  to  the  places  below,  where  the  evil  have 
associated  themselves  together ;  and  because  they  cannot  endure 
such  influx  and  presence  of  the  Divine  love  they  begin  to  tremble, 
and  to  be  in  anguish  and  torment ;  for  thereby  the  goods  and 
truths  w^hich  they  have  learnt  to  feign  b}'  speech  and  a(5lion  merely 
in  externals,  are  dispensed,  and  their  internals,  which  are  nothing 
but  evils  and  falsitities,  are  0]:)ened  ;  and  as  these  are  dire(5l;  op- 
posites  of  the  goods  and  truths  that  flow  in  from  within,  although 
they  have  made  evils  and  falsities  their  life,  they  experience  such 
tremor,  anguish,  and  torment,  that  they  can  no  longer  maintain 
themselves,  therefore  they  flee  away  and  cast  themselves  into  the 
hells  which  are  under  the  mountains  and  rocks,  where  thev  can 
be  in  evils  and  in  the  falsities  of  their  evils.  This  in  ])articular  is 
signified  by  the  words  explained  above,  "They  said  to  the  mount- 
ains and  to  the  rocks,  Fall  on  us  and  hide  us  from  the  face  of 
Him  that  sitteth  on  the  throne,  and  from  the  anger  of  the  Lamb." 
[3.]  From  this  it  can  be  seen  why  the  words  "the  anger  of  the 
Lamb"  are  used,  and  why  the  last  judgment  is  called  "the  great 
day  of  His  anger,"  although  it  is  the  Divine  love  that  is  meant, 
the  operation  of  which  viewed  in  itself  is  to  save  all,  for  it  is  a  will 
to  save,  thus  not  anger  at  all,  but  love.  The  same  is  true  when 
an  evil  spirit  who  can  feign  himself  an  angel  of  light  ascends  into 


CHAP.   VI.,   VERSE    17. — N.  4I3[i5].  999 

heaven.  When  he  comes  thither,  as  he  cannot  endure  the  Divine 
good  and  Divine  truth  that  are  there,  he  begins  to  feel  anguish 
and  torment,  to  the  extent  even  that  he  casts  himself  down  with 
all  his  might,  nor  does  he  rest  until  he  is  in  the  hell  corresponding 
to  his  evil. 

[6.]  It  is  from  this  appearance,  and  because  when  evils  are 
done  thev  are  punished,  that  indignation,  anger,  wrath,  and  even 
fury  and  vengeance,  are  so  often  in  the  Word  attributed  to  Jeho- 
vah, that  is,  the  Lord  ;  but  a  presentation  of  all  the  passages  where 
these  are  attributed  to  Jehovah,  that  is,  to  the  Lord,  is  here  omitted 
because  there  are  so  many  of  them,  and  a  few  only  will  be  cited, 
in  which  the  last  judgment  is  called  "a  day  of  the  indignation," 
"of  the  anger,"  "of  the  wrath,"  and  "of  the  vengeance"  of  Je- 
hovah and  God,  as  in  the  following.     [4.]    In  Isaiah  : 

"  Behold  the  day  of  Jehovah  cometh,  cruel  and  of  indignation  and  of 
wrath  of  anger,  to  lay  the  land  waste,  and  He  shall  destroy  its  sin- 
ners out  of  it I  will  shake  heaven,  the  land  shall  be  shaken 

out  of  its  place,  in  the  indignation  of  Jehovah  of  hosts,  and  in  the 
day  of  the  wrath  of  His  anger"  (xiii.  9,  13). 

"A  day  cruel  and  of  wrath  of  Jehovah's  anger"  means  the  last 
judgment ;  and  because  it  is  evil  that  burns  with  wrath,  and  fals- 
ity that  is  angry,  it  is  called  "a  day  of  the  wrath  of  anger." 
"The  land"  that  shall  be  laid  waste,  and  that  shall  be  shaken 
out  of  its  place,  means  the  land  that  is  in  the  spiritual  world,  for 
there  are  lands  there  the  same  as  on  our  globe  ;  and  those  lands, 
while  the  last  judgment  is  going  on,  are  "  laid  waste  "  and  "shaken 
out  of  their  places,"  for  the  mountains  and  hills  are  then  over- 
turned, and  the  valleys  sink  down  into  marshes,  and  the  face  of 
all  things  there  is  changed.  Nevertheless,  "land"  in  the  spiritual 
sense  means  the  church  in  both  worlds,  for  in  the  spiritual  world 
the  face  of  the  land  is  the  same  as  the  state  of  the  church  in  those 
who  dwell  upon  the  land  there,  consequently  when  the  church 
perishes  the  land  also  perishes,  for  they  make  one ;  and  then  in 
place  of  the  former  land  a  new  one  comes  into  existence ;  but 
these  changes  are  unknown  to  us  on  our  earth.  Nevertheless 
they  must  be  made  known,  in  order  that  it  may  be  known  what 
is  meant  by  "the  land  shall  be  laid  waste,  and  shall  be  shaken 
out  of  its  place."     [S.]    In  Zephaniah  : 

"When  the  wrath  of  the  anger  of  Jehovah  hath  not  yet  come  upon  you  ; 
when  the  day  of  the  anger  of  Jehovah  hath  not  yet  come  upon  you, 
...  .it  may  be  ye  shall  be  hid  in  the  day  of  Jehovah's  anger"  (ii. 
2,  3). 

Here,  too,  "  wrath  of  anger"  and  "day  of  Jehovah's  anger"  mean 
the  last  judgment.     In  Lamentations  : 


lOOO  ATOCALYPSE  P:XPLAINED. 

"  He  doth  nut  remember  the  footstool  of  His  feet  in  the  day  of  His  an- 
ger  "  (ii.  i). 

"Tilt  foolstool  of  Jeho\ah's  feet"  means  the  worship  of  the 
Lord  hi  the  natural  world,  for  the  reason  that  the  whole  heaven, 
together  with  the  church  in  the  world,  is  before  the  Lord  a  sem- 
blance of  one  Man  Uis  may  be  seen  in  Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  78-86),  the  in- 
most heaven  constituting  the  head,  the  other  heavens  the  breast 
and  legs,  and  the  church  on  earth  the  feet ;  consequently  the  ieet 
signifv  also  the  natural ;  moreover,  the  heavens  rest  upon  the 
church  which  is  with  mankind  as  a  man  does  upon  his  feet  (as 

can  be  seen  from  what  is  shown  in  the  same  work,  n.  87-102,  also  291-302).      Smce 

a  final  judgment  comes  when  there  is  no  longer  any  faith  because 
there  is  no  charity,  thus  when  the  church  is  at  an  end,  it  is  evident 
W'hat  is  meant  by  "  He  doth  not  remember  the  footstool  of  His 
feet  in  the  day  of  His  anger."     And  elsewhere, 

"There  was  none  that  escaped  or  remained  in  the  day  of  Jehovah's  an- 
ger ;  those  whom  I  have  brought  up  and  nourished  hath  mine  ene- 
my consumed  "  {Lam.  ii.  22). 

"The  day  of  Jehovah's  anger"  is  the  last  judgment ;  that  there  is 
then  no  longer  any  good  of  love  or  truth  of  faith  in  the  church, 
but  evil  and  falsity,  is  signified  by  "there  was  none  that  escaped 
or  remained  ;  those  whom  I  have  brought  up  and  nourished  hath 
mine  enemy  consumed,"  "there  was  none  that  escaped  or  re- 
mained" signifying  that  there  was  no  good  or  truth,  "whom  I 
have  brought  up  and  nourished  "  meaning  those  who  are  of  the 
church,  who  have  all  spiritual  food  or  knowledge  of  good  and 
truth  from  the  Word,  "the  enemy  that  consumed  them  "  meaning 
evil  and  falsity.     [6.]    In  the  Apocalypse  : 

"Thine  anger  came,  the  time  of  judging  the  dead,  and  of  giving  the  re- 
ward to  Thy  servants.  . .  .and  to  those  that  fear  Thy  name,. . .  .and 
of  destroying  them  that  destroy  the  earth '  (xi.  i8). 

This  makes  dear  that  "anger"  or  "day  of  anger"  means  the  last 
judgment,  for  it  is  said  "Thine  anger  came,  the  time  of  judging 
the  dead."     \\\  Isaiah  : 

"The  day  of  vengeance  is  in  My  heart,  and  the  year  of  My  redeemed 

hath  come I  have  trodden  down  the  peoples  in  Mine  anger, 

and  made  them  drunk  in  My  wrath"  (Ixiii.  4,  6). 

This  treats  of  the  combats  of  the  Lord,  by  which  He  subjugated 
the  hells,  thus  of  a  final  judgment  w^hich  was  accomplished  by 
Him  when  He  was  in  the  world  ;  for  by  combats,  which  were 
temptations  admitted  into  Himself,  He  subjugated  the  hells  and 
wrought  a  final  judgment.  It  is  this  judgment  that  is  meant  by 
"the  day  of  Jehovah's  anger  and  wrath"  in  the  Word  of  the  Old 


CHAP.   VI.,  VERSE    17. — N.  414.  lOOI 

Testament ;  but  the  last  judgment,  which  has  at  the  present  time 
been  accompHshed,  is  meant  by  "the  day  of  His  anger"  in  the 

Apocalypse.  (That  a  final  judgment  was  performed  by  the  Lord  when  He  was 
in  the  world,  see  Last  Juigment,  n.  46.)     The  Subjugation   of  the    hells  is 

here  signified  by  "  I  have  trodden  them  down  in  Mine  anger,  and 
have  made  them  drunk  in  My  wrath  ;"  "  the  year  of  the  redeemed  " 
signifies  judgment  upon  the  good  who  are  saved.   [7.]  In  the  same, 

"The  spirit  of  the  Lord  Jehovah  is  upon  me to  proclaim  the  year 

of  Jehovah's  good  pleasure,  and  the  day  of  vengeance  for  our  God ; 
to  comfort  all  that  mourn  "  (Ixi.  i,  2). 

In  the  same, 

"  The  day  of  vengeance  of  Jehovah,  the  year  of  retributions  for  the  con. 
troversy  of  Zion  "  (xxxiv.  8). 

"The  day  of  vengeance  of  Jehovah,"  the  same  as  "the  day  of  His 
anger  and  wrath,"  signifies  the  last  judgment,  for  revenge  is  attrib- 
uted to  Jehovah  or  the  Lord  for  the  same  reason  that  anger  and 
wrath  are,  namely,  from  the  appearance  that  those  who  have  denied 
the  Ihvine,  and  have  been  hostile  in  heart  and  mind  to  the  goods 
and  truths  of  the  church,  consequently  hostile  to  the  Lord  who  is 
the  source  of  these  (as  all  are  who  live  wickedly),  are  cast  down 
into  hell ;  and  because  these  are  treated  as  enemies  are  treated, 
vengeance,  like  anger,  is  attributed  to  the  Lord  (see  above),  "The 
year  of  retributions  "  signifies  the  same  as  "  the  day  of  vengeance," 
but  it  is  predicated  of  falsities,  while  "the  day  of  vengeance"  is 
predicated  of  evils;  "the  controversy  of  Zion"  signifies  the  re- 
je<?l;ion  of  the  truth  and  good  of  the  church,  "  Zion"  meaning  the 
church.  In  other  places  also,  the  time  of  the  last  judgment  is 
called  "the  day  of  Jehovah,"  "the  day  of  visitation,"  "the  day  of 
slaughter,"  and  "the  day  of  the  coming:" 

"The  day  of  the  Lord's  coming"  in  Malachi  (iii.  2) ;  and  in  Matthew  (xxiv. 
3,  27,  37.  39)- 

414.  "And  who  is  able  to  stand?"  signifies.  Who  shall  endure 
\the  Divine  pre  sence~\  and  live? — This  is  evident  from  the  signifi- 
cation of  standing,  when  it  is  before  the  Lord,  as  meaning  to  endure 
[His  presence]  and  live,  here,  not  able  to  endure  it  and  live ;  for, 
as  was  said  above,  the  wicked,  from  the  influx  and  consequent  pres- 
ence of  the  Lord,  that  is,  of  Divine  good  and  Divine  truth  going 
out  and  forth  from  Him  with  power  and  might,  come  not  only  into 
the  tremors  of  fear,  but  also  into  torments  from  interior  confli6l, 
consequently  unless  they  flee  away  and  cast  themselves  down 
they  cannot  live,  for  from  fear  and  torment  death  as  it  were  befalls 
them  ,  Tor  the  presence  of  the  Divine  brings  death  to  the  evil  as  it 
brings  life  to  the  good.     From  this  their  state  it  is  said,  "Who  is 


I002  APOCALYPSE  EXPLAINED. 

able  to  stand?"     As  also  in  Malachi : 

"  Who  endureth  the  day  of  His  coming,  and  who  shall  stand  when  He 

shall  appear?"  (ill.  2.) 

In  Nahum  : 

"Who  shall  stand  up  before  His  indignation  ;  and  who  shall  stand  in 
the  wrath  of  His  anger?"  (i.  6.) 

And  in  yoe/: 

"The  day  of  Jehovah  is  great  and  very  terrible  ;  and  who  shall  endure 
it?"  (ii.  II.) 

Moreover,  "to  stand,"  like  walking-  and  sitting,  in  the  Word,  sig- 
nifies to  be  and  to  live;  and  "to  stand"  has  the  same  meaning 
as  to  stand  firm  and  stand  still.     As  in  Licke : 

The  angel  answered  Zachariah,  "  I  am  Gabriel,  that  standeth  before  God  " 
(i.  19)- 

And  in  the  .same 

"Be  wakeful.  . .  .at  every  season,  that  ye  may  be  accounted  worthy.  .  . . 
to  stand  before  the  Son  of  man  "  (xxi.  36). 

And  elsewhere.  And  as  "to  stand"  also  signifies  to  be,  it  is  said 
of  Jehovah,  in  Isaiah: 

"Jehovah  hath  stood  up  to  plead,  and  standeth  to  judge  "  (iii.  13). 

And  in  David  : 

"God  hath  stood  in  the  assembly  of  God  ;  He  shall  judge  in  the  midst 
of  the  gods"  {Psalm  Ixxxii.  i). 

But  why  "to  stand"  signifies  to  be  shall  be  told  elsewhere. 


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of  every  civilized  people,  and  placed  where  it  will  be  accessible  to  those  who  are  ready 
for  it.  Every  dollar  contributed  helps  forward  this  work  to  the  utmost  that  a  dollar 
can.  Every  sum  given  for  investment  will  be  a  permanent  missionary,  preaching  the 
fniths  of  "  the  True  Christian  Church  "  to  generation  after  generation.  Can  you  do 
better  with  what  the  Lord  has  given  you  to  use  than  devote  lome  of  it,  at  least  to 
this  work  ? 

DireSltons  for  the  guidance  of  persons  desirous  of  viaking  provision 
by  Will  for  the  uses  of  this  Society. 

It  Is  the  safer  course  for  such  persons  to  consult  a  ciimpctont  liiwver  of  the  State  where  theprop- 
erty  may  he  situated.  Especially  isiliiti  important  if  the  proportv  robe  jiiveu  eousists  of  real  estate. 
Tlip  laws  of  more  thau  one  State  piovide  that  a  devise  o""  land  situated  witliin  that  State  cannot  b« 
made  directly  to  a  foreign  corpoialiou  ortjaumed  or  situated  in  some  other  Slate  or  country  than 
■■.he  State  in  which  the  land  is  situated.  lu  such  rases.  Form  4  (below)  should  be  used  In  several 
States,  moreover,  no  such  devi.se  or  beciuesl  is  good,  unless  a  certain  time  after  the  will  is  made 
shall  elapse  before  the  death  of  the  testator. 

It  is  impracticable  to  give  directions  which  will  be  in  conformity  with  the  varying  statutes  of  all 
the  States.  But  except  tor  those  States  wliose  law  requires  a  certain  time  to  elapse  between  the 
making  of  the  will  and  the  death  of  the  testator,  the  following  lornis  are  believed  to  be  respect- 
ively sufflcient. 

Form  1.— BEQUEST  OF  MONEY. 

"  1  give  and  bequeath  to  the  American  Swedenborg  Printing  and  Publishing 
Society,  located  in  the  City  of  New  Yorlc,  tlie  sum  of  dollars." 

Form  II.— BEQUEST  OF  NOTES,  BONDS,  ktc. 

■'  1  give  and  bequeath  to  the  American  Swedenborg  Printing  and  Publishing 
Society,  located  in  the  City  of  New  York, 

KHtrt  tiescribi  the  notes,  bonds,  stock  or  other  property  intended  to  be  g^ven.  not  consisting  o/  land  *r 

houses.) 

Form  111.— DEVISE  OF  REAL  ESTATE 

Located  in  the  iitate  of  New  York,  whose  laws  permit  a  devise  to  be  made  direSlly  to  thi* 
Society  :  and  ako  adapted  to  a  devise  of  land  in  any  State  whose  laws  may  pertnit 
that  land  Situated  in  such  State  may  be  devised  to  charitable  or  benevolent  corpor»- 
tions  located  in  another  State  than  the  State  in  which  the  la>id  is  situated. 

"  1  give  and  devise  to  the  American  Swedenborg  Printing  and  Publishing  Society, 
located  in  the  City  of  New  York,  and  to  its  successors  and  assigns  for  ever,  all  that 
certain 

{rirrc  liescribt  the  real  estate  intended  to  be  given. /olloTving.  i/ possibi;  the  description  given  in  the  titl4 
deed,  in  order  to  avoid  ujuertainty. ) 

Form  iV.-DEVISE  OF  REAL  ESTAIE 

L»cateii  not  within  the  State  of  New  York,  but  in  any  other  State  whose  laws  do  not  per' 
mit  a  devise  of  land  to  be  made  direflly  to  a  corporation  for  charitable  uses  organiatd 
or  situated  outside  of  such  State. 

"  1  give  and  devise  to 

{Here  insert  names  o/ trustees  > 

ail  that  certain  piece  or  parcel  of  land  and  premises  with  the  appurtenances,  bounded' 
and  described  as  follows  : 

{Here  insert  the  description,  which,  i/prac'licjbU,  should /ollotu  that  given  tn  Iht  lille  deed,  in  order  I» 

avoid  uncertainty  :) 

In  Trust,  however,  for  the  following  uses  and  purposes: — The  said  trustees  are- 
hereby  empowered  and  direcfted  to  sell  the  same  as  soon  as  pracflicable  after  my  de- 
cease ;  and  to  pay  over  the  net  proceeds  thereof  to  the  Treasurer  of  the  American 
Swedenborg  Printing  and  Publishing  Society,  located  in  the  City  of  New  York,  for 
the  use  of  said  Society  in  printing,  publishing,  and  circulating  the  works  and  writings 
of  Emanuel  Swedenborg  according  to  the  provisions  of  their  certificates  of  incor- 
poration, and  of  the  laws  of  the  State  of  New  York  affecTiing  the  powers  ard  uses  of 
said  Society." 


REPRINTS 


SWEDENBORG'S  LATIN  TEXT. 


The  American  Swedenborg  Printing  and  Publishing  Society 
solicits  the  co-operation  of  all  interested  in  the  work  in  its  under- 
taking to  produce  a  reprint  of  Swedenborg's  Latin  text  which  shall 
be  of  permanent  use  to  the  Church. 

The  following  have  been  published  : 


Apocalypsis  Revelata, 
Apocalypsis  Expltcata, 
Opera  Minora,     .    .    . 


quatuor  doctrinae,  ) 
De  Ultimo  Judicio,    \ 

De  Amore  Conjugiali, 


Two  volumes. 
Six  volumes. 
One  volume. 

One  volume. 

One  volume. 


These  are  carefully  edited  and  printed,  and  handsomely  bound 
in  half-leather  binding,  and  are  sold  for  $3.00  per  volume. 

The  Society  will  continue  this  undertaking  as  fast  as  the 
sales  will  justify.  It  is  a  work  of  great  importance  to  the  Church  ; 
and  should  be  speedily  completed.  The  works,  as  published,  ought 
to  be  placed  in  the  larger  college  and  public  libraries;  and  as  all 
that  is  received  for  sales  is  devoted  to  the  continuance  of  this 
undertaking,  purchases  for  this  purpose  serve  a  double  use.  This 
deserves  the  special  attention  of  all  who  have  money  to  give  to 
church  uses. 

Address : 

AMERICAN  SWEDENBORG  PRINTING  AND  PUBLISHING  SOCIETY 

20  cooper  union,  n.  v. 


AN   EXCELLENT  BOOK    FOR    READING    CLASSES  AND    TO 
PUT  INTO    THE   HANDS    OF  NEW  READERS. 

The    Divine    Trinity,     Divine    Provi 
dence  and  Related  Subjects. 

By  EMANUEL  SWEDENBORG. 


ExtraSled from  the  closing  setlions  of  "Apocalypse  Explained.'^ 


This  work,  207  pages,  i2mo,  in  handsome  paper  cover,  will 
be  sent  to  any  address,  postpaid,  for  thirty  cents.  Also,  bound  in 
flexible  cloth,  fifty  cents;   in  half  leather,  gilt  edges,  one  dollar. 


"  This  is  one  of  the  best  books  we  know  to  put  into  the  hands 
of  those  who  desire  to  get  a  general  idea  of  the  dodlrines  of  the 
New-Church,  in  a  small  compass.  It  is  written  in  a  clear  and  at- 
tracflive  style,  and  is  remarkably  free  from  those  peculiar  forms  of 
expression  which  are  so  distasteful  and  perplexing  to  many  persons, 
when  they  begin  to  read  the  writings  of  Swedenborg." — Rev.  Chann- 
cey  Giles. 

"  The  New-Churchman  can  have  by  him  no  more  useful  work 
for  devout  reading;  and  its  remarkably  free  and  lucid  style  makes 
it  peculiarly  valuable  for  missionary  circulation." — Rev.  L.  P.  Mercer. 

"  One  of  the  most  interesting  of  Swedenborg's  works  for  gen- 
eral reading.  It  contains  a  great  part  of  the  philosophy  of  the 
Divine  Love  and  Wisdom,  in  a  pleasant,  descriptive  form,  which  is 
simple  and  attra<flive,  as  well  as  profound." — Rei).  John  Worcester. 

"  We  hope  that  the  friends  of  the  New-Church  every  where, 
will  take  advantage  of  the  publication  of  the  book  in  a  cheap  form,  [ 
to  scatter  it  broadcast  over  the  land." — New  Church  Messenger. 

For  sale  by 

AMERICAN  SWEDENBORG  PRINTING  AND  PUBLISHING  SOCIETY^ 

20  COOPER    UNION,  N.  Y. 


STATE  i"^ui\MA^i'^'r^^^^^» 


This  buok  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below 


[utu  ?,  7 1980. 


Form  L-9-10m-5,'28 


'  BX 
8712 

A4 


1Q    /\r'0calv7-,3,a  , 


1^ 


3  1158  00594  6768 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 


AA    000  904  548    5 


ENORMALSCHOOL. 


